Time Stands Still
by B-RScherbatskyStinson
Summary: When a tragedy strikes the gang, the gang tries to find a way to help their friend in need. Barney, Robin, Lily and Marshall try to help Ted get back to reality because he's living in the past and thinks he's in 2005. B/R, M/L, Ted, AU, title change!
1. Coming Up With A Plan

Okay, this title might change but until I can come up with a better title this is what this title will be.

This was originally supposed to be a one shot but because of how the story goes it will be multiple chapters but I'm not sure how many chapters this will have. I had this idea for this story because I wanted a fixit story for the horrible finale. So, I came up with this interesting way of not just for a happy ending for Barney and Robin but a happier more believable ending for Ted. I'm still not happy with that with that finale or like I've always said failnale cause it just sucked.

Barney and Robin's having a happy ending is all I want for them because they deserve it after everything they dealt with in their lives both apart, together, as friends and as a couple. FYI: The paragraph below you don't have to read since it isn't really important to the story but it's there just to explain more about the story.

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 _Sometimes in life, things happen. Rather it's good or bad or sad or even exciting things just happen. That is just how life is, it's how life works but whatever happens in life don't ever regret the things you do and most importantly don't ever forget the people around you who make your days be good, bad, sad or excited because whatever you do in your life don't ever regret or take things or life for granted because when you least expect it, things happen and even though sometimes it's for a sad reason things are always put back together. Sometimes, people can't be fixed. No, actually people aren't fixable, they are human beings, they aren't a toy or broken glass. Sometimes things can be fixed but people can't be fixed because life just doesn't work that way._

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2030

Six years ago, the small group of friends had lost a key member of their little group. The last member to join their little group, after so many years, so many missed opportunities and so many things happening and a special day changed their lives forever. And, for one of them he thought he would get to live that life he always wanted but tragically things happened and that last key member of their little group had passed away. And, now one of their friends is in a bad place in their life. They all tried to help him, put him back together but he isn't broken glass that can't be fixed so they all began to get concerned for their friend.

They think he's living in the past, he keeps randomly telling stories of his past self when he was younger and they all had been more closer as friends. Unfortunately, life happened, things happened and although it was something sad and tragic the small group of friends started to come together again, in sake of their friend who was in need of a little nudge (okay, a big nudge) to point him in the right direction because his life just seemed to be stopped in a time when things were much easier for him.

"I told you, he's clearly living in the past. He thinks you're dating him. This has to stop, he's gone insane. Look, I know he's been through a lot in the last six years. But, I'm concerned for my bro. Things happen, yes it's sad but we need to move on no matter how tough it gets or how much more denial he can be in. We need to do something because this isn't healthy." He used to be the less wise one of the group, the one who made up stories and told many lies. But, now, he's not like that anymore. Sure, once in a while he tells fake stories and sometimes real ones too but he isn't delusional, he isn't living in his own little world anymore. He has grown and learned over the years, ever since he found that person. That person who has always been there, who he loves more than anything in the world and the only person who truly always understood him.

Barney Stinson, is a lot of things. Well, he used to be a lot of things, like a womanizing psychopath, an untruthful liar, a crazy lone wolf but then everything changed and he found that other lone wolf and now they are a lone wolf pact, just the two of them… Well, actually no. The three of them. And, their pact is as he used to always say _awesome_ because life changes. You don't go in circles, you go forward, you wake up in the mornings and just do life, whatever it brings you. You move forward, not backward and move on with your life. That's why Barney is worried, he's worried for his friend, he understands what he's going through but it's getting to a point where his friend is clearly losing himself a little more with each passing day. He's worried because he, himself has it all figured out and his friend had once had that too but things happen and sadly for his friend he lost that and slowly lost himself in the wake of his sadness and loneliness.

So, now he's sitting in his house on his couch with his wife talking and thinking of how he will get his friend to wake up and realize that he's living in a dream world. In the past, a past that was sure fun and carefree but now things have changed and even though it's sad he needs his friend back. The one who he's trying to bring back from the past.

"I know, he thinks he brought me the blue french horn again and I'm living in the apartment I used to live in. He's clearly has lost it. I'm worried too, but what can we do? There is nothing we can do to help him and much as we all tried to he doesn't seem to want our help or want to believe that he isn't living in this dream life of the past." They are sitting on the couch watching their daughter play on the floor a few feet away from where they're sitting. She smiles over at her five year old daughter grateful for the life she has but sad for her friends life and trying to figure out what to do to help her friend.

"I guess, we'll have to just let him live in whatever fantasy world of happiness he wants to live in or we'll try to get him back to the guy he once was." Barney said, looking at his wife as her hand gently rubs his leg slowly up and down as they watched their daughter play over in the corner of the living room.

"But, how do we get him back to normal? How can we fix him if we don't know how and he isn't helping either because he seems to just want to stay in that past life forever." She tells him with a worried look as now she's looking up at her husband sitting next to her trying to figure out exactly how to help their friend.

"We're lucky, if I ever lost you I don't know how I could begin to move on or how to forget you and clearly he's trying to forget that Tracy ever existed." He moves a little bit on the couch but doesn't move his position or gets up, he's getting a bit tired sitting here but he likes the view he sees of his daughter playing on the floor across the living room.

"And, to think we almost did lose each other. Not in the sad way that Ted did but in the we're never getting to be together again way. If I ever did lose you, I'm not sure if I can move on but I do know that I would not be living in the past or trying to relive it someway. I would just move on and try to find happiness but I won't be living in the past and trying to recapture the memories of it. Although, I would remember everything of you and of us but I won't go back and try to change the past or relive in some fantasy way that poor Ted is. I would get up and move on with my life even if I can never forget the love of my life." They look at each other and smile brightly, kiss and then look at their daughter play on the floor. He drapes an arm around the back of her and she embraces it and moves in closer to him resting her head on his shoulder, smiling that her life is absolutely perfect and to think at one time she didn't want this and another time she almost lost this too many times over the years.

"So, how are we going to get Ted out of this funk memory of his?" Robin asks, not knowing what to do in these situations, she's always been bad at these types of life things but wants to help her friend in anyway she can to get him back to normal.

"I don't know, should we ask Marshall and Lily to help us? I mean, I know they aren't around much these days and are quite busy but should we?" Barney asks this now, wondering if their other friends would help them out with this situation.

"I guess we can try to call them, they have both been so busy lately I don't know if they would help since they aren't living in New York anymore." Robin, knows that Marshall and Lily had tried to help Ted out, around the time when Tracy just passed away but after a year, they had moved out of the state. They even living in Italy for a while before moving back to the states.

"I will call them, I hope they're available because this needs to stop, and stop as soon as possible because I'm a little scared and a lot worried that he will do something even more crazier than re-stealing the blue french horn and trying to win you back again. The man is crazy, he needs help and I'm quite sick of the hold he thinks he has on you. This fantasy world he's living in is not healthy or good for either him, us or his kids who also seem to be worried about him too." Robin, hates that he feels this way, she hates the feeling that he will one day wake up and it will be true and she will be somehow with Ted again. It's not a good feeling to have, she loves him and that's it. She loves him, always has and if Ted thinks he can still get her in someway then he's wrong and it's unsettling to think of him thinking this way. That's always been a problem, it's always been Ted standing in the way of their happiness and it sickens her to think about it happening again.

When she slowly and nicely tried to turn him down when he suddenly showed up at their door the other day, it scared him but worried her and now they have to deal with the problem that Ted thinks he's still in love with the past, still in love with her and is still in this deep depression over losing Tracy. So, now Robin has to face up and tell Ted what's really going on. She's more upset about this for Barney's sake, not her own because she doesn't care much what Ted thinks or does because there is only one man in her life and that's her husband, whom she loves and has a family with. He's the only one in this situation who she's most concerned about over this terrifying but sad situation.

"Yes, hi Lily I-we need to talk to you. Are you free to stop by or should we go to you? We need to talk about Ted. I'm worried about him, he's getting worse by the day." Lily sighed over the phone, knowing that this was going to happen, knowing that it's going to get worse if they don't do anything to stop this madness going on right now. She is really worried too about her friend and this situation going on.

"Um, yeah actually we can come into the city and meet up some place. How's Saturday?" Lily said, hoping that Saturday is good for all them to get together.

"Yeah, that's fine we can meet in the city how's Maclaren's?" Robin asked, knowing that this plan could work if they discuss it in their old hangout since it's a good place to talk and since it has so many memories of the past it could help Ted get back to normal.

"That's fine, so what is the plan?" Robin tells Lily the plan and Lily's impressed by it and thinks it actually could work.


	2. The Plan

A/N: This chapter is a bit longer but it explains a lot of things that the last chapter didn't. I will explain more in the next chapter but for now this chapter has most of the information you need to understand the story better.

First: Barney and Robin did get divorced, but only for a few years they get back together in 2018 with a little help from Tracy it's why she's mentioned a lot in this chapter.

Second: Their daughter was born a year after Tracy's death and Ted doesn't know about their daughter and doesn't know that they got married again which I will explain in another chapter probably the next one.

Third: Barney and Robin got married in 2020, secretly which again will be explained more in the next chapter. Also, this story plays a little with time but the main year is 2030. I hope you enjoy this chapter, the title of the story is now changed and I like this title better which works with this story especially this and later chapters.

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To say this plan would be perfect was an understatement because they knew it wasn't perfect. They needed a plan, a plan that would work right away instead of it not working at all or having it completely unravel in front of their eyes. This plan had to work, even if it doesn't work right away they have to get Ted to realize he isn't in 2005 anymore. Things happened, it was devastatingly sad but they happened and unfortunate as it was Tracy was a very special part of their group. She was the glue to hold them all together, the mamma bear who everyone would go to for advice, the almost perfect example as someone who had it all together but didn't. She was innocence, pure perfection but she wasn't perfect, only Ted knew she was perfect but everyone else knew she wasn't perfect, nobody's perfect. But, Tracy will forever hold that missing spot in everyone's minds, neither one of them will ever forget the big impact she made on them especially Barney and Robin because if it wasn't for her, they wouldn't have gotten married.

Yes, things did happen along the way after their wedding. Things they both want to not be reminded of, but they did happen and as much as they would like to forget that miserable past they had, Barney and Robin knew they couldn't forget it. Tracy, she had been a big reason why Barney and Robin reunited and it had nothing to do with her wedding to Ted. As much as they wanted a fairy tale of a reunion, their reunion wasn't at all like a fairy tale, far from it. And the days, and the months, and the years apart were some of the worst chapters of their lives. As much as they wanted to, they couldn't forget that time apart, but if it wasn't for Tracy interfering in their relationship they might not be where they are right now in 2030. They might just be much further apart than their heart would like them to be. They owed Tracy for being a big reason that they re happy now and if she was still here today they would thank her forever that she helped them put their relationship back together.

"If it wasn't for Tracy we probably wouldn't be together right now. Who knows what would've happened or where we would be if Tracy didn't see how miserable we were being apart. She's the reason why we're here now. Being a family is something I never thought would happen but if it wasn't for her realizing what we didn't see, we wouldn't be where we are today and with a daughter who I never thought I would get to have. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have realized what a big mistake I made almost letting you go much too soon than I actually wanted to." Robin had known that most of the problems they had were because of her, mostly because of her job and traveling. Even if Barney didn't mind traveling especially since he got to spend most of his days with her, but that was the beginning of the traveling. Towards the last couple of months things had turned between them and it all unraveled in that hotel room in Argentina.

"And, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have realized that I still loved you. She was the reason why I asked you to marry me and the reason why I realized that you are and always will be the one for me, even if I wasn't showing it in those last couple of months before we divorce. I will always know that you are the only woman for me and the one I will always love no matter what our lives bring. Tracy, was the best person I knew, I'm grateful to have known her even if it was for a short time. She really did change my life forever." They are sitting in their old Maclaren's booth waiting for Lily and Marshall to come meet them talking about how Tracy was such a big key player in the relationship of Barney and Robin and she was also the reason why they are here hoping that the four of them could help their friend who is struggling to stay alive in a place that once was happiness for him.

"So, you think this plan will work?" Robin asked, she's a little worried that this will backfire on them and then they would have to find another way to help Ted get to normal, and they don't know what else to do so this plan has to work.

"I really hope so, I'm worried that it won't but hopefully it will because I don't like what's happening. I know Ted is trying to find a way to find some happiness but it's been six years, how can he still be in denial about what life he's actually living in and more importantly what year he's living in." Barney really hopes this will go well, he can't watch his friend continue down this path of delusion. He's also worried that Ted will end up doing something more worse than thinking he's still in love with Robin and he hates thinking this but for some reason he knows there's still some part of Ted that does still love Robin even if he was with Tracy.

"Well, let's find out." Robin said looking over to see Marshall and Lily approaching them with worried looks on their faces.

Marshall and Lily join Barney and Robin and sat opposite them when they arrived. It was like the old days all over again but in a sad situation which both couples hate. They know that this needs to end, it's crushing all of their hearts that their friend is in this condition he's in and they know that if it keeps going like this something really bad will likely happen and nobody wants that.

"Hi, guys it's been a while." Robin said greeting her friends. It has been about five months since they last saw each other, with them all being really busy they hadn't had time to see each other and with Marshall and Lily living in New Jersey it was hard getting together even at times they were available it was hard to see each other.

"Yeah, it has. How are you guys?" Lily asked smiling at her friends but also in a sad tone which gets them to discuss what's going to happen in 24 hours.

"We're great, Brailyn is quite the happy kid. She's already in school and learning fast for her age which is great." It had been a struggle for them to get pregnant, it took 8 years to conceive but after so much struggle they had Brailyn which was difficult for Robin because the pregnancy was not easy, there was a lot of issues during her pregnancy and early on their was almost a miscarriage, the second miscarriage they had in a year. But, after two miscarriages and many struggles they finally had their daughter after Tracy passed away. The conceived a few months after her death, another thing that they are thankful for in regards of Tracy and their relationship.

"She's a beautiful girl, looks just like you Robin." Lily said as Robin and Barney too showed their friends pictures of their daughter.

"I'm really happy for you guys you deserve to have such a beautiful young girl after everything you went through in the last decade." After being quiet for a while since sitting down Marshall was deep in thought as Robin and Lily talked briefly about Robin's daughter thinking about this plan they're about to talk about.

"Yeah, we're truly happy. If it wasn't for Tracy we wouldn't eve have Bri, we wouldn't even be here together even if it wasn't for Tracy realizing what we obviously didn't after the divorce." Barney says with a slight sadness in his voice both for Tracy and the time they almost really lost each other.

"So, how is this plan going to work? The situation is getting worse, I'm really scared that Ted will end up doing something crazier than stealing a locked up french horn." Marshall was both concerned and a little mad at this situation because it's been six years and Ted has been in this deep emotional state since Tracy's death and he's worried about him doing something to himself or to someone else.

"First, I know this plan might not be all that great and it might blow up in our faces but it's the best way to fix the problem we have. Not that Ted's a problem but it's getting to the point where he's crying himself to sleep every night and the kids are worried about him. They think he needs to be in a psych ward or something that's how bad it is right now." Barney explain, they're all really worried about not only this plan but also Ted who is walking around in this emotional state of his and it has been six years since Tracy died so the more he continues this way the more he's going to do something worse than thinking he's living in 2005.

"Ted has this idea that he's still in 2005 which is the year his life changed. He first met me after you two got engaged then we dated, which was his happiest time until we broke up until he finally found Tracy. In between those years, I was single for most of them, dated a lot of guys and dated Barney too. After that, some tough years happened where first I realized I was still in love with Barney then everything changed even more than after Ted and I broke up in which he said he loved me after I had broken up with my current boyfriend and still had feelings for Barney. That was his downfall until he met Tracy. He was the happiest with Tracy. So, the plan is that we go to his house, sit him down and tell him what's really going on in the present while still discussing the past. It might be hard for him to fully understand somethings, like the fact that Barney and I are together and have a kid which he didn't know about since Bri happened the year after Tracy died, which started his downward spiral forgetting the years he had with Tracy." Robin had been the one who came up with this idea, Barney just agreed to the plan which he hopes works since he knows that Ted had been telling his kids a story about how he met Tracy.

"Okay, I think this might just work but we have to be easy on him he's fragile right now and his mind might not be able to handle most of what you will be telling him, especially the fact that you and Barney are together now and are living together as well but not in your old apartment." Marshall thought this was a good plan, no real professional would really know how to get through to Ted but his friends might be able to knowing what he's going through and where his memories are at the moment. Marshall really hopes that this will work even if it's tough and hard to hear for Ted it needs to come out and make him realize and understand what's really happened in 2030 and not 2005.

"So, tomorrow we'll go to Ted's house and talk to him. He also thinks his kids are mine and his and that's really freaky since they are Tracy's kids. This was when I realized I had to get through to Ted and make him see what's really happening in this year." Robin didn't like the idea of Ted thinking his kids are from her when they aren't and it's even more sadder because he is forgetting all about Tracy and his life with her.

"Okay, this has to work it needs to work so we can all get back to our normal lives. This alternate universe of Ted's mind is not healthy or good for any of us and most certainly him." Marshall was a little doubtful but he thinks this will actually work and if they go easy on Ted then this will be smooth sailing and if it doesn't work than they really don't know what will.

"See you guys tomorrow, we got get back home I asked Marvin to watch the girls." Lily said before kissing Robin on the cheek and hugging Barney before leaving with Marshall back home to New Jersey.

"This better work Robin, I'm really done with this whole thing and I hate that Ted thinks he's dating you when you aren't with him and hadn't loved him in years." Robin could tell that Barney's frustrated, she hates this situation too but what can they do, so this has to work so this tension that Barney has could finally end because it's worrying Robin and making things between them also tense which causes useless fights they both don't want to have.

Ever since they got back together things between them has been wonderful, their lives was a little bumping in the beginning when they first got back together but now they are perfectly happy, settled and at peace with themselves and their relationship. Having Brailyn really changed their lives even more and once Robin really settled down they had discussed having kids. Robin was still young enough to conceive even though it was very hard to, she did and Barney well he made sure to freeze some of his sperm just in case they want to try having a baby. Things were difficult at first but soon they did have a baby and Brailyn was the best thing they ever could hope for.


	3. The Beginning Of The Plan

**This chapter is the beginning of project Ted, this goes more into detail about the plan that the gang is trying to set up here for Ted. This rating might change due to later chapters having bad language in them, until then I think I really like this set up for the plan and personally I loved writing this chapter because it's truly my favorite so far.**

 **A few things you need to know about this chapter and future chapters: Barney and Robin, if you're a bit confused on the dates here are married, as I mentioned they have been married for 10 years, been back together for 12 years. I wanted to go more into detail about their personal life together, so this is the start of the more B/R parts of the story. Barney is kind of a single parent, Robin had been there for the first three years of Brailynn's childhood but in and out of her life for three years since starting this fake life with Ted.**

 **I want to warn you, this will become much more sadder and more dramatic in the next couple of chapters due to the planned idea I have for the story. Ted, is completely gone, meaning he is not who he normally is. His mental capacity is of like a 3 year old that's how far gone he really is, he truly thinks he's married to Robin and his kids are from her, he has completely forgotten all about Tracy. To him, she never existed and that's the more sadder part of the story. Also, don't mind Barney's attitude here, it's all necessary for the story and B/R are completely happy together, there's nothing that can break them up. They are together forever in this story and have their lives figured out and they're settled, nothing that happens with Ted will change the status of B/R's relationship, they are married and happy that's all you really need to know about them. I will go more into their story in future chapters, because their story is the most important here. It's all about their happiness, their lives together.**

 **Enjoy, sorry for the long A/N I just wanted to let you know more about the story. I will delve into more B/R after the next chapter so don't worry this is all planned out ahead of time.**

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"So, we have to go easy on Ted. He's really vulnerable right now, he's fragile so when we go inside the house we need to be discreet, we can't rush this, we can't push him too much, we can't make him frustrated and we need to try to not freak him out. So, please be calm and don't get too worked up over anything that might trigger some kind of out rage." Robin, wanted this to all be over but they couldn't get Ted too worked up over what they're about to tell him. This, needs to have an effect on him. He needs to realize that things have changed drastically over the last 10 years and he needs to know that they aren't living in 2005 anymore. They are in 2030, things are completely different now than they were back when Robin first met the gang.

Robin, Barney, Marshall and Lily are all standing outside the Mosby home. They agreed to meet here when they all met up in Maclaren's the day before. After, Marshall and Lily left Maclaren's Barney and Robin discussed this plan further, they had told Marshall and Lily the full details of this plan but not the place where they were all going to meet up. They didn't want to excite Ted too much so bringing him to any other place besides his home in White Plains was the only option they had. Barney and Robin texted Marshall and Lily the exact time and place to meet up the next day.

The place: _Ted's house in White Plains 6pm_

So, that brings the four friends here, in front of the Mosby home. Now, Robin has been staying in the home for six months helping Ted through this hard time he's going through. She had been pretending to be his wife, for her it's more of a live-in caretaker than wife since she's married to Barney, has a child with him and is not living in this home permanently. Ted's kids know about Robin's real life and what's going on with her and Barney for two years. Ted had been in this deep depression for four years now, he had become depressed one day and kind of slipped into this alternate universe of 2005. Ted, thinks he's living in this year so that's what the four friends are about to tell him.

The plan was to take things slowly, they don't want to freak a deeply depressed Ted with all the real information that the friends will tell him. It was important to start with the year that he believes to be remembering the most which is 2005 the year Robin joined their group, Eight years before he met Tracy, the year she and Barney got married which will be saved for later since the part that might trigger a reaction that Ted is just not ready for. So, they need to take this slow without getting Ted too overly worked up about the things that are the most important of information that will come out of this conversation and restore Ted back to 2030 where things are much more different than what Ted is imagining.

Robin, wanted this to go smoothly. The thing that might really effect Ted is the fact that Robin and Barney are married and have a five year old daughter. Their daughter was born on the one year anniversary of Tracy's death, this year was really tough on Ted and it was in this time when he truly slipped into this happy place he's living in: 2005! This little bit of information will likely cause a bad reaction from Ted so they need to keep that for later. Until, then the four friends will start telling random stories from Ted's younger days in New York. They planned it out in order starting with Robin and ending with Barney which will then hopefully by then Ted will have a better understanding of what's really happening in the current year of 2030 and not in 2005.

The order and information went like this…

 _Robin: Will sit Ted down in the living room, which is the main family room of the house. The room that she, Ted and the kids all go to for a little family time. She will start to talk randomly about things that have happened in the past. Since, Ted likes telling stories from the past and had sat his children down to talk to them about his past before he met Tracy. Robin, wanted to start this meeting off slowly, kind of like ripping off a band-aid which will allow for her to easily start talking to Ted about their past life together. She will start by telling the stories of them when they first met to the day they broke up, so the two years that were mostly about their relationship._

 _Marshall: He will talk to Ted about life both when they met in college, which Ted does remember most about and then he will talk about the day he decided to propose to Lily. That day changed his life forever, and it started a ripple effect all the way until Ted met Tracy._

 _Lily: She will talk mostly about her days before becoming a mom, she is now a mother of three but before she became a mother she was trying to become an artist and through her teaching rediscovered just how important it was to try something in the art world. She will also re-tell stories about holidays, both before they met Robin and after they met Robin._

 _Barney: He (without getting too frustrated and annoyed) will talk more about his single days. He is far from single these days, but Ted is still remembering his playboy days and some days after when he had divorced. So, Barney will re-tell stories that won't effect any negative response from Ted even if he's annoyed with the way Ted's been acting, he is worried about Ted but is really about done with the way Ted thinks he can somehow believe that Robin will ever want him or love him the way he thinks she does._

So, that was the easy part of this meeting the harder parts come afterward which will then hopefully get Ted to get out of this sad, depressed state of his. His mind is weak at the moment, so anything too heavy needs to be taken lightly so they all won't freak out a very vulnerable and weak minded Ted. It was important to take things slow and explain the more simpler things from the past before really diving into the more deeper, emotional parts of this meeting.

"And, Barney. Please, for the love of our daughter… Don't do anything that will get Ted too worked up and don't even mention our first wedding." Yes, Barney and Robin remarried but it was a small intimate wedding with only the two of them and a minister, nothing as big and crazy as their first wedding which Ted does remember but he doesn't remember every detail of that wedding, just the pieces that he almost ruined. Barney's still mad at Ted for back stabbing him to try to get Robin back and even though Robin told many times over the years that she was sorry about the things she said to Ted just moments before their ceremony. Barney is still angry with the way Ted acted that weekend.

Ted, only knows bits and parts of their first wedding and remembers the years before the wedding so that's what they were going to do right now. Tell, or re-tell the stories he mostly remembers in a very slow and sensitive manner. They can not trigger any big emotional reaction right now so things that happen after 2013 need to be put on the back burner and used for a way that hopefully changes Ted's mind to snap him out of this emotional funk he's in.

"I wasn't going to. I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, I was just still angry with Ted and the way he acted at our wedding I didn't mean to get all worked up about it again." Barney and Robin, earlier this day had gotten into a huge fight, the first major fight since getting back together 12 years ago. Although, they did have little arguments through the years, mostly in the first two years of getting back together but nothing as big as the fight they had this morning over Ted's actions at their first wedding.

"I'm sorry too, I didn't realize just how much my actions hurt you. I'm really, truly sorry for the way I acted on that very long, exhausting weekend I didn't mean the things I said back then. I was just freaking out and wanted to blame someone for everything I started to freak out over. It was my actions that I regret, the things I said they aren't true. I was just really emotionally drained and the things that just happened with the whole locket thing and remembering the rehearsal dinner and our engagement. It was all just my nerves and concerns about our marriage that had me almost lose..." Her voice starts to break, tears slowly started to prick at her eyelids wanting to desperately fall from them. "My, actions almost made me make the worst mistake I ever made. Since, then even though we've had our problems don't ever think that what I did changes the fact that I love you. I loved you then and I love you now, so don't think I don't regret the things I did on our wedding day because I do regret the things I said. Running off, almost leaving you at the alter would have been the most cowardice, awful, bitchy thing I ever almost did." She tries wiping her eyes with her hand as Barney looks lovingly at her.

That's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to him and it was truly the most honest thing Robin has said in all these years together. In this moment, he realizes all over again why he fell in love with this amazing, beautiful, awesome, woman in this world and never stopped. He tried, many times to move on from Robin but just couldn't and in this moment he understands why he never moved on from loving her or wanting to be with her. Tracy was right, Barney would always no matter how much he tries, will forever be in love with only one woman and that is Robin Scherbatsky (Stinson). No matter how much he tries he will love her to the day he dies and after.

The couple embrace in a hug that seemed to last quite a while which had Lily coughing, clearing her throat "okay, guys I know you had a moment and all but we really need to get back to why we're here." She says, even though this little moment was very touching and beautiful they really need to get this mission over with.

Robin breaks the hug and straightens up to take out her key to the house. Ted had given her that key when she kinda, sorta moved in with him and the kids. She had made him think that they are sorta married and that this is her family when this isn't her real family. For, a year she had made him think that they are together, by embracing this fake life with him she realized that she really missed her own family so for six months she's been running back and forth between the two families which is making her life more difficult and exhausting.

"Ted?" Robin, calls out as she enters the house with the three others behind her.

"Be right down." He yells back, running down the stairs embracing Robin in a hug and kiss.

While, that was happening Barney stood back watching his wife and friend share an intimate moment. He begins to let his mind wander a bit, noticing that Ted is really fragile. He's happy nonetheless, but really fragile. Barney isn't happy to watch his wife and friend in this intimate embrace but there isn't anything he can do about that right now. He's really not happy about this but he can't do anything about it so he watches, still angry as he jams his fingers in his leg through his pants.

Ted and Robin break their intimate embrace to have Ted realize that they aren't alone. The three friends, staring at the two embracing made him realize for the first time since running down stairs that his friends are here too.

"Oh, hi guys." Ted says, smiling at his friends.

The three friends plus Robin all gave him a half-hearted smile and a frown before Robin speaks up again.

"Um, Ted. We all need to talk." Robin says after a little while as Ted let what he was just told sink in realizing that Robin is looking quite sad, withdrawn and giving him this serious look.

They all gather in the living room, Robin sits Ted down to begin telling him part of the reason why she and their friends (husband) is here. The once happy, more like thrilled Ted they seen a bit ago is no longer there. Realizing, that whatever is happening right now is serious. Ted breaks the smile on his face to let Robin begin talking, easily and slowly to him about what they all came here to tell him.

The three others leaves the room after five minutes, letting Robin alone with Ted for her to talk to him without any distractions. Marshall, Lily and Barney all went into the kitchen getting snacks and drinks while Robin starts to talk to Ted. They are all quiet and a bit sad as they all just now realize just how fragile and in a bad place Ted really is in. He is just not there, he is completely gone and they all begin to wonder if this plan will work because from the look of it, Ted really does think that Robin is living with him and is his wife. The way he embraced her a little while ago and the smile he had says it all. The guy is not just sad and depressed he is GONE. He is no longer Ted. He is a guy who thinks he is living a life that he believes is his. He's living in happy-land, where he has this life with Robin and thinks his kids are her kids when they aren't.

"Wow, I thought this was going to be easy but from what I saw earlier, it really, really isn't." Barney says, he had been in this quiet trance since coming to the kitchen and was in this deep thought, trying to think of what he just saw earlier when they first arrived.

"I know, this is bad… Really, bad!" Lily says, she's now fully aware of this situation and it's more worse than she had originally thought.

"This is not good, I'm beginning to think that this was a bad idea. This plan is likely to not work." Barney says, he's now worried that Robin is going to have to stay in this house, living a life that isn't her life. She's going to need to stay pretending for the sake of Ted's mental status and will never get to truly be with him and their daughter.

Barney's been the one to take care of their daughter since Robin decided to take Ted up on his offer to come move in with him. He had been taking most of the duties as a single parent while she's off playing house with Mosby. He's beyond mad, that this situation seems to be more worse than he had thought and he's pissed. Robin, will never get to truly be the mother she wants to be to their daughter. Bri's first word was dada, Bri didn't start saying momma until she was three years old. That's how much time apart from Bri, Robin had since she was born.

"What are we going to do now?" Barney says out loud in a frustrated tone of annoyance and he is now truly worried about Robin and what she's going to do.


	4. Robin Talks To Ted

I originally wanted to do flashbacks for this story but I realized as the gang is talking to Ted that this story doesn't need flashbacks for these parts of the story because we have already seen those scenes on the show. So, I'm not going to flashback to the moments that we have already seen on the series and instead the story will continue in the present day of 2030 with flashbacks to the more important parts of the in between years from 2013 to 2030. Those years are most important to be more explained in detail because those are the lost years of the story.

What I'm doing is, I'm going to show just what the gang was up to between these years in flashback moments. However, the story at the moment is in the current day, I won't start doing flashbacks for a few chapters because it's not important to use those right now. In the next few chapters, the gang will be talking to Ted one-on-one to get him to snap out of the state he's in right now but the flashbacks don't come into play until later. Starting with this chapter and going four more chapters, the gang starts to talk to Ted and the chapters are much longer. I might throw in a flashback from time to time in these chapters but for now there aren't going to be any.

I am enjoying writing this story because it's the most complicated story I've ever written so I hope you all like what I'm doing with this story. Enjoy!

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While, Robin was in the living room talking to Ted about all the old times they shared together. Barney, Marshall, and Lily were all still in the kitchen sitting around the dining table in there eating and talking about what's going on in the other room. It has been complete silence in the kitchen since Barney last talked, Lily and Marshall tried their best to comfort him as best they could when he began to have a mini breakdown with tears falling rapidly down his face. They had never seen him like this before, he's completely distraught over what's happening and neither Marshall or Lily knew how to comfort him, because usually he's the life of the party, to them they never saw Barney so withdrawn and quiet with so much built up emotions that have been eating him up for all these years.

He knows, since he met Ted that he's never once called him his best friend. He's never seemed to care about him or like him enough to call him his best friend. But, over the years he started to not care about him calling him his best friend because he doesn't need him to be his best friend, let alone a friend to him. His, real best friend is the woman right now in the other room talking about their past together. About, the times they shared together but his best friend is the woman he married twice. Who can honestly say they married the only person in the world they consider their best friend, not only once but twice in a lifetime. So, that's why Barney stopped wanting Ted to call him his best friend but he's married to the only person he wants to call _his_ best friend.

So, Barney sits in the kitchen a waits to see what happens within the next hour between his wife and the guy he truly did think was his best friend at one time in his life. What is going to happen next? His life has been so wonderful and such a blessing in the last 10 years and he is truly happy being with his best friend, living a life he once was stupid enough to let go of. His happiness now, is something he never thought would be possible after the divorce or before it. He's hoping that Robin will get through to Ted so neither him or Marshall and Lily will need to do their part of this meeting. He hopes that Robin will trigger some kind of reaction from Ted so they don't have to face a really deeply depressed and vulnerable Ted.

"I'm really worried, you guys I don't think this will work he's clearly really gone. He's not Ted Mosby anymore, he's just really fragile and sad even though he seems happy." Barney, had finally started talking after about 20 minutes of silence. They all were in deep thoughts for a while trying to figure out what to do with this really sad situation. "Did you see him clinging onto Robin earlier?, he's even wearing his wedding ring, the ring he married Tracy with."

"I know, let's hope Robin can get through to him somehow. He will listen to her, out of the four of us he will listen and talk to her because it's easy for him to talk to her knowing that she's his wife." That last part angered Barney more and Lily noticed him balling up his fist with his face turning a bit red at the mention of Robin being Ted's wife. It makes him want to throw something or throw up maybe both, at this point he's just completely done and wants to get back to normal, he just wants his wife back where she belongs.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to get you more upset." Lily says gently putting her hand on top of Barney's that was resting on the table in front of them giving him a look of 'I didn't mean to say that' Barney looks up at her with more tears in his eyes through the anger he's been holding back for along time.

He can't blow up at her, he can't freak out and get angry and yell, shout, scream all the frustration and anger out because Robin won't be happy if he has a meltdown and starts saying things that will likely anger a very confused Ted. She warned him earlier not to do anything that might get Ted angry because he is really not in a good state of mind right now.

"Alright. Let's talk about something else." Marshall had been completely quiet this entire time in the kitchen and he was also quite emotional, crying over his best friend and how he's in such a bad state of mind and looks really fragile. He thinks Ted needs professional help, he thinks this meeting won't work and he will be stuck in this mind set of his.

"So, how is Bri?" Marshall asks Barney trying to change the subject.

"She..." He pauses through his tears and smiles brightly at the mention of his daughter who's just getting more bigger and smarter by the day. "She's, awesome." He response as he looks up at Marshall with a bright smile and for the first time tonight or really in a long time. He is finally smiling.

As, Barney shows Marshall and Lily newer photos of his daughter Robin is in the living room with Ted talking about the old days and is around the time when it was close to Marshall and Lily's wedding.

"Aw, she's so cute." Lily says, she knows how much Barney and Robin struggled to get pregnant. Although, nobody knew about their daughter or the fact that they were trying to get pregnant until two years ago. Marshall and Lily, however did know that Barney and Robin were back together much sooner than two years ago. They found that out six years earlier the day of Tracy's funeral.

"Ted, I know you felt bad about the fact that we broke up but after that… You became my best friend. And, I wouldn't trade that for anything. I know we both had a hard time after we broke up but the years after that were some of my favorite memories." Robin, is currently wrapping up her part of this meeting. She had told Ted, or more likely re-told Ted all the stories in the first two years of knowing him and the gang. And, now she is talking about the events that led up to their initial breakup and the aftermath of the breakup.

"I know, but I truly thought I could move on but I just couldn't. I tried, really hard to get over it, to get over you but every time I tried I just couldn't truly move on." Of course, Robin knew that Ted never got truly over her, after all he confessed his feelings for her on her wedding weekend and that's when things got more complicated and she started to really think about things. But, those things were stupid to begin with, she was just scared and had some doubts about Barney and his commitment to her and their relationship that she started to get confused and worried about the future and about Barney himself more than the Ted of what happened that weekend that started her reflection and emotions to get the better of her, or worst of her whatever you'd like to think.

Robin, was just freaking out and a total mess before her wedding ceremony but that is over now. She doesn't have any concerns about Barney's commitment to her or his love for her or her love and commitment to him and their family. Their daughter, means the world to her and it was such a tough pregnancy and a lot of emotions dealing with her struggle to have their daughter. But, she wouldn't change anything about that time in her life because it had brought her and Barney more closer together if that's even possible. And, now they have a beautiful five year old who is the light of their lives and neither would change all the ups and downs of their relationship because neither want to change them. They, truly are happy and in love and that love kept getting deeper as the years went by and over and over again, they found each other. They went through a lot to be where they are today in the year of 2030.

"I did love you then, but I did move on from that time and I found something better, something that makes me completed and happy." Ted looks at her like 'I don't make you happy' and she looks at him sadly shaking her head.

"No, that's not what I meant. You did make me happy, I just found a better happiness along the way and it was mostly because I met you. If I never met you, I wouldn't have found such a great friend or group of friends like our little gang. I would not know where my life would be at now. But, you and the gang showed me that you cared about me and you did show me how to love, not only myself but someone else. And, for that I am grateful for." Robin, knows that this time in Ted's life was the second most hardest time in his lifetime as she had known him. But, she also knows that if they didn't breakup, she would have never found her true love, her soul mate and for that she's truly grateful to Ted that he was so obsessed with her at the beginning when they met because she wouldn't be where she is today, happy, with the family she once didn't think she wanted or was capable of having.

"I'm glad I met you too, Robin." And, they look at each other for a moment and remember the good times they shared before both of their lives had change completely after this time.

"Anyway, when I came back from Argentina I was finally at peace. I finally did move on from you and our breakup. But, I wouldn't change anything about that time we shared together because you did truly taught me how to love someone and how that love needed to be equal. I know, I tried to use our backup plan as something to lean on because you were always there for me and I did need you there, as a friend because you made me grow and find myself through out the time we've known each other. But, don't ever think that I didn't love you, I did love you, then I did but I realized that our friendship was more important to me than any kind of other relationship we might have had. So, I leaned on you quite a bit, more than I should have but I wouldn't know anything better than having you in my life no matter what had happened in it." She's crying, clearly emotional over her time with Ted that it took a few minutes for her to calm down and get back to talking/explaining to Ted why she and the others are here in this home wanting to talk to him.

"And, your friendship was everything to me too." Ted, says smiling still confused on why Robin is talking to him about the old times they shared together. He still doesn't understand why she and the others are here to talk to him but he is listening and responding a way that helps this situation.

"That's, why we are here Ted. We came to talk, to remember the old times we shared together as friends both in the old days and the more newer days." Robin, wiped her eyes and face before getting up from the couch.

"Let me go talk to the gang I be right back." She announced, walking off towards the kitchen with a sad look on her face and a slow pace in her walk.

"Hey, guys. Sorry, it took so long it was more complicated and emotional than I thought it would be. He's still really confused and lost about what I'm trying to tell him." Robin, noticed everyone's somber mood as she walked into the kitchen and she really doesn't blame them for looking so sad and quiet.

"Oh, that's okay. We are here for you, and for Ted." Lily says getting up to hug Robin who looks like she's been crying for a while. She looks at her sad, realizing that nothing has yet triggered a memory from Ted which now worries all four friends more than they wanted this meeting to go.

"I tried, I talked about the first two years when I first met you and him but all that did was trigger more emotions and confusion than I wanted from him." Robin, explains sitting down next to Barney who put a loving concerned arm around her back letting her head rest briefly on his shoulder. For, a minute she just closes her eyes in the embrace of her loves arms trying to figure out a way to get Ted back to the normal person she knows is in him somewhere.

"I know, I'm sorry your conversation didn't work. Maybe, Marshall can try to get through to him more since he's known Ted the longest." Barney looks at Marshall who shrugs then says.

"I guess, I can try that was the plan right?" They all responded with a 'yeah' and a shake of their heads.

"I did say I would be right back so I will go with you Marshall." Robin says, giving a quick kiss on Barney's lips then leaves the kitchen with Marshall to go back in the living room to talk to Ted.

"Maybe, he will get some reaction out of Ted?" Barney, says to Lily looking more concerned with this situation and more sadder than he was earlier.

"I don't know, if nothing happened yet it might not." Lily answers, looking sadly at her friend who's now playing with his phone to find a way to distract himself from this awful situation they are witnessing.

Marshall and Robin go back to Ted in the living room and sits down where she say before when she talked to Ted. They wanted for Marshall to talk to Ted, hoping that something he says would start to trigger some memories for him of the last 14 years.

"Hey, Ted. Marshall wants to talk to you in private for a few minutes. I hope that's alright?" Ted nods his head and Marshall sits down in the spot that Robin gets up from.

"I will be in the kitchen if you guys need me." Robin announces, walking off with a nod at Marshall and a light but still sad looking frown/smile on her face.

Robin walks off and back into the kitchen taking a seat back next to Barney where she sat a little while ago before going back to the living room.

"I'm really sorry, babe. This is more serious than I thought but hopefully he will come around." Barney says in a whispered tone, Robin looks at him sadly and nods her head.

"I hope so." Robin says, sadly resting her head on Barney's shoulder again trying to not let the tears that are struggling to escape from her eyes come down.


	5. Marshall Talks to Ted (Memories)

Okay, I decided to change this a little but I'm still sticking with where the story is going. I had wanted to show the conversation between Marshall and Ted but decided to not show the conversation because it wasn't necessary to show that in this chapter. However, the next chapter will be more in detail explaining just where Ted is emotionally. But, this chapter gives a little more on how Barney and Robin get back together and a little bit of how Tracy helped them get to where they are now in 2030. I also wanted to show a little bit of the more passionate relationship B/R have, because that's just how they connect, while Ted and Robin's connection is more like a brother/sister relationship, B/R's relationship has a lot more substance and emotion because they needed the time to get to where they both are now.

The gang is still helping Ted try to remember his life with Tracy but it will take a little more time to get him to get out of this emotional funk he's in now. I haven't talked about Tracy in this story much in a while so I wanted to include her more in this chapter's thinking because she did have a big impact on everyone's lives. I like that Tracy was the missing piece in this story and the one who truly did make Ted happy giving him the life he's always dreamed of having.

I really love BR in this chapter, I love writing them this way because I hate writing too much drama with them. I will explain more of their lives together and the missing years in later chapters, so stay tuned I hope you all still like this story.

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Marshall, has always been the easy going one, the best friend who just agrees with the things people tell him. He was always the believer, the dreamer and the person in the small group of friends who didn't like to fight, although he did fight his brothers from time-to-time. However, he was never one to really put his foot down when it comes to his friends lives, particularly Ted's life. Six years ago, the guy who had waited a lifetime to meet the One, to meet his soul mate and did meet her, even though it was only for a few short years. Sadly, the gang had lost their friend and Ted, the most optimistic person of the group, who had waited along time to meet his soul mate had lost his wife. Shortly, after this point in his life, Ted has also lost himself after losing the one thing he spent most of his life searching for and slowly caused for Ted to lose his mind.

The gang's lives had changed drastically because they had met Tracy and finally, after so long being alone and hung up on someone who didn't reciprocate his feelings. Finally, after everything that had happened in his life Ted did find that One he was searching for. The five friends had found another friend, who fit perfectly in the small group of friends and soon the friends all realized just how much they all needed someone like Tracy in their lives. For Lily, it was having another female in the group who she had many things in common with and fastly became best friends with. For Marshall, it was seeing his best friend finally get the life he's always wanted and talked about since he knew him during their college days. For Robin, meeting Ted had changed her life. Not because she had fallen in love with Ted, no that's not what happened. She had come to have found a great friend in her life, kind of like a big brother who she could go to for advice and to talk about the more important things in her life. And, for Barney it was meeting Tracy that truly changed his life forever and got him to wise up and realize that he was still in love with Robin, both times she had talked some sense into him. He also started to bond with Tracy, they had found a common ground and had a great friendship that was still growing when she passed away.

But, for Robin meeting Tracy had really made her open her eyes and her heart more to how much she truly did love Barney. Tracy had become a dear friend to her since knowing her and talked her down on many occasions over the years. She had talked her down when she was emotionally going crazy before her wedding ceremony which had gotten her to realize just how stupid she was for almost leaving Barney at the alter. She had helped her realize once again a few years after she had first had a breakdown over her personal issues when it comes to one Barney Stinson. After the divorce, Robin became depressed and more and more sadder with where her life had gone. She was so happy once, being married to Barney, having her career where it was and having a life she's always secretly wanted but was too afraid of having.

But, Tracy had noticed how miserable Robin was after the divorce which got Tracy to help her with her feelings. She had talked to her and made her see that letting Barney go so quickly was the worst thing she's ever done. Tracy made her see that her life was incomplete, she had a fulfilling life when she had it together and was with Barney. This conversation led Robin to Barney's door the next day and after that Robin and Barney were trying again, even though it started out really slow in the beginning with Robin still working solid hours and still traveling but not as much as she was when they were married. But, they had made it work and had found a solace with each other that they didn't have when they were married. Things between them were better than ever and soon they did get remarried.

The gang had all come to love Tracy being in their lives and she had made a big impact on all of their lives. She was important, not just to Ted who had waited a lifetime to find his soulmate. But, also important to the friends whose lives changed just because they met this wonderful woman.

While, Robin, Lily and Barney all sat in the kitchen in silence waited for Marshall to have his conversation with Ted. They all wondered what would Tracy do? They all made Tracy their go-to person to talk to because she always gave the best advice. She was like the groups fairy Godmother who came into the gang when things had started to change. When, Barney and Robin decided to stop running from each other and get together, getting engaged and wanting to spend their lives together. Sure, it took a little while longer for Barney and Robin to get it right again after the tough time they went through, but thanks to Tracy's intervention and advice the two finally did wake up and realized that giving up too soon was not the right way to go about things. Their lives really did change even more because of what Tracy had done for them at a time when both were in bad/miserable places in their lives. Both, also really missing each other but being their typically stubborn self didn't understand how much they still wanted each other and still needed each other in more ways than they thought.

"So, do you think Marshall can get through to him?" Lily had been quietly eating and drinking trying to distract herself from worrying even more than she has.

"I don't know, nothing triggered anything yet." Robin responded, it was getting late, they were all a bit tired and frustrated with how things were going so far, Ted had not remembered anything which caused the friends to get more worried and think this will never work.

They might need to use plan B or how Barney like to call it plan C at this moment. The frustration growing with every minute that this meeting doesn't change anything in Ted's very confused mind.

"Let's hope something does. It's getting late, I'm tired and this meeting isn't going anywhere where we need it to go. We might have to go with plan C if things still continue like this." Barney, at this point has lost his patience but didn't want to anger Robin or make a sad, confused Ted freak out so he's staying quiet on this at least for now despite how late it is.

It is now almost 11 pm, this late hour is making everyone more cranky, frustrated and more worried but with how late it is, they all are realizing that nothing is going to work if it hasn't already.

"Plan C, that was being held just in case. You know that won't work." Robin said in annoyed tone of voice. Looking over at Barney who with a tired/annoyed look tried not to blow up at her knowing she won't take his temper well at the moment.

Things have to just continue as planned, by meeting with Ted individually, having a one-on-one meeting with Ted is just how things has to go right now.

"Yes, but we might have to go that route if things continue like this." He was going to tell her that he misses her but the moment was interrupted by Marshall entering the kitchen.

It took almost an hour for Marshall to have his conversation with Ted. It had started out kind of light hearted and funny but then things turned a little and things went a bit dark which caused Ted to look sad and still confused about everything.

"He still doesn't know anything about after your wedding." He starts telling the others how his meeting with Ted went, looking from Robin to Barney then at Lily who looked at him with a sad look on her face.

"He is becoming agitated and more confused I think he's becoming a bit mad with why we are talking to him in these patterns we are. He still thinks you," he looks at Robin. "Are married to him and had been for years. He still doesn't remember anything past 2013 and he thinks what you told him was to just remind him of what you two have together. He doesn't know about Tracy, his marriage to her or the fact that his kids are not yours." Robin starts to tear up at the thought that Ted is still not budging, she thinks he's either getting worse or just not wanting to understand what's really going on. Or, and this is a big Or… He might not want to know anything more about his real life, with Tracy so he's at this point doesn't care about that life he lived.

Whatever it is, Ted is getting much worse and sadly they might need to get him professional help if this meeting really doesn't work.

"What exactly did you talk to him about?" Barney asked now rubbing Robin's back as she sobs into his shirt.

"We talked about our college days, it was mostly lighthearted at the beginning but by the time I started talking about Robin, meeting her and becoming friends with her and he just went on and on about how great you are." He looks at Robin who picked her head off Barney's shoulder rubbing her tears away from her eyes and face then responded to what Marshall was telling her.

"I, I don't know what to do anymore he's just getting worse by the day. I can't believe he's acting like this and thinking that we are actually together. What else did you tell him?" She asks Marshall who shook his head and sat down next to Lily.

"After a few minutes of him talking about you, I started to changed the subject to talking about Lily, and our relationship and our breakup which also happened to be around the time you two got together. Clearly, this idea isn't going to help him remember Tracy since he's thinking about a time years ago that he clearly thinks is where is life is now. He thinks he's married to you, Robin and has this amazing life with you but there isn't this glow, he used to glow/shine when he was around Tracy. He was a completely different guy when she was alive. She truly made him happy, anytime he talks about you," he looks at Robin. "He doesn't have that happy glow on his face and in his eyes. He's lost, Robin really, truly is and I don't think anything will help him remember the life he had with Tracy."

"Maybe, we should change things up a little bit. I know the plan was to go in order to talk to him but maybe I can try to trigger something in him since you and Robin haven't already. Let me go before Lily and see what I can get out of him." Barney says, wanting to take Lily's spot to talk to Ted and see if anything changes once he sits down and shares his part of the story.

"Yeah, it might help but we have to keep on the plan, we just can't move forward without going through the earlier years. The years we just met and you were still the player king." Robin thinks the plan should not change right at this moment. She thinks they should stick with the plan and the order of how things will go.

"I don't think anything is going to change what he's thinking and at this point and time of night. He's clearly not remembering anything or he just doesn't want to remember and this is why he's acting this way..." Barney says, standing up about to walk out of the kitchen but Robin stops him.

She kisses him, deeply and passionately making him not respond to her kiss right away. This caught him off guard so he didn't join in, in the kiss for a second or so. But, when he did he responded the way she wanted him to respond. This kiss wasn't slow, it wasn't sweet, it wasn't quick. It was one of the most passionate/loving kisses of their lives. They hadn't kissed this way is along time, it seemed like the magic of their passionate love was starting to stop over the years. Since having Bri, the things going on with Ted, Tracy's death and everything else in their lives. The passion seemed to dim a bit but for some reason Robin just wanted to show him just how much she loves him because Barney has been so understanding of this situation and has supported her in her decision to help Ted out and move in with him even though at this point Barney is clearly not happy with how things are going. Their lives had become so much better once they got back together and then having Bri was the highlight of their lives that truly changed their relationship and lives forever.

The kiss lasted quite a while before they broke, smiling brightly at each other through their flushed faces. Robin, knew that the plan needed to change a bit, Barney was right. If they are ever going to get Ted to remember and realize what year they're in and where their lives are right now. Barney needs to be the next one to talk to him. The memories of the past, Barney and Ted's friendship and history with each other, could somehow get Ted to remember where he is and what life he's actually living.

"I hope you know that I love you." Robin tells him, after they broke the very passionate and hot kiss hoping that Barney knows who she really loves and wants to be with.

"I know." He whispers back, smiling then breaking the hold he had on her waist.

Barney goes to the living room to try to talk to Ted but now things are going to change a bit. The plan has changed, Barney was supposed to not only talk about his past, his past with Ted, their friendship but also talk about his new life. The real life he really lives right now in 2030. He hopes that maybe he could be the one who gets Ted to remember the more recent years of his life.

So, Barney leaves the kitchen with a satisfied grin on his face and a sigh hoping that within the next few minutes Ted will have the revolution that his life is far from the life he's imagining having. While, Barney is living the life that Ted was supposed, he does truly feel bad about what Ted is going through and he desperately wants to help and fix things. At this point, it's late and Barney's patience is wearing thin, he's at a point where he's about on the edge of slapping Ted or screaming at him or something to get him out of this state of mind he's in right now.

"Hey, Ted we need to talk." He says once he enters the living room where Ted is.

Ted looks up at him, not knowing what's going on and why Barney is here in his house wanting to talk to him. Or, why everyone else is here either, but Ted gestures for Barney to sit and he does. This is going to either be helpful, hurtful, confusing or a realization, Barney hopes all of thee above. But, for now he sits down with a sigh to let Ted in on why they are all here and what life he has now. Ted still thinks Barney is still playing around, he thinks he's still a player, doing his plays and sleeping around but that was old Barney. His new life now is far from where he was all those years ago.


	6. Talking With Ted (Barney) Part 1

Okay, this chapter is a little different than the last ones, I wanted to go a little more deepers with Barney and Ted's conversation because I think that Barney would be the one who gets Ted to either remember Tracy or not so I decided that Ted's memory is really, really bad. His memories of Tracy is just not there at all, I think Barney could snap him out of this thinking of his especially since he's on the edge of ready to snap himself. Ted is just not in a good place right now, the gang knows that, even Barney but he's tired and wants this to come to an end.

It's a difficult situation but the gang is there for Ted but he's just really not who he is right now. I also went into more detail in telling why Ted thinks he's married to Robin, which was hinted at in chapter 1 and with Ted wearing his wedding ring which is why he thinks his wife is Robin because she's been living with him for a while and pretending to be married to him to not have him freak out. But, thing change here in this part 1 of 2. This isn't the end yet, I'm still not sure how many chapters this story will have but for now I might go 10 chapters but still not sure how many chapters I will do to end the story.

Although, this is sort of heading towards the end of the story it's just not the end yet. This chapter is a bit more longer but I wanted this to be layered with the second half so I hope you all like where this story is and where it's going. I will include flashbacks as I mentioned in the chapter after the next one, in fact the whole chapter will be a flashback chapter to the years that Tracy was still alive and well. But, enjoy!

* * *

" _We aren't in 2005? I'm not married to Robin? If I'm not married to Robin why do I have this ring on my finger?"_

Barney and Ted had been talking for 45 minutes, it started out light with Barney mostly talking about his womanizing/single days but slowly Barney started to drift a little towards other things during the first 20 minutes of this conversation. He started to talk about the past, as was the plan because since Ted is living in 2005, he thinks this way will get him to understand and realize what year they really are in and what life Ted is really living. So, far it has been going well. Since, Barney sat down and started talking in the same pattern as Robin and Marshall had done already, Barney talked about how his life back then (he didn't add the 'back then' part to the conversation) but he talked about being single and lonely at that time in his life. The conversation started to drift slightly after this part of the conversation but Ted didn't remember anything as of this moment.

Then, Barney had this idea to change it a little more. The plan was to continue what the others had already done, talk about the old days, when Marshall & Lily got engaged, when they met Robin and when Barney was at his highest level of his womanizing/single days. But, there was no reaction from Ted so Barney realized something in that moment and started to talk about the time when he fell in love with Robin.

"So, I don't know if you'd remember this but do you remember when I told you that I had these feelings for Robin and you gave me your blessing to tell her about those feelings?" Of, course he didn't need his permission to go after Robin he just felt at the time that he didn't want to lose Ted's friendship again if he had a problem with him and Robin together, he didn't go to ask for Ted's permission if anything he wouldn't ask permission from Ted he would ask Robin but since Robin already knew he had feelings for her, the only permission he needed was from her when she confirmed to him that she did have feelings for him.

"Um, not really. Was that after or before I married Robin?" The after was a weird thing to say Barney thought but he replied.

"It was after you broke up, a couple years after to be exact. I had previously been in love with her for a year but never told her about having those feelings for her. One day, I had gone to you to ask you if it would be okay if I went after Robin and told her about my feelings. She, overheard me talking to you and found out about those feelings before I even had the chance to tell her myself." Barney looked down and smiled to himself remembering that moment like it was yesterday. Which to Ted it kind of was yesterday.

"Wait. We broke up?" Ted asked, confused because he thought he was married to Robin.

"Yes. You broke up after a year of dating in 2006, a year after you met her." Ted's expression changed quickly after this realization hit his mind, flashbacks in his mind started to come to him but he didn't say anything after his expression changed from a smile to a frown of sadness.

"But, we got back together shortly after that?" Ted, questions trying to remember if he and Robin had gotten back together at anytime after they broke up in 2006. Nothing, comes to mind and his expression changes back to being confused.

"No. Ted, you never got back together after you broke up you both went your separate ways. She went to Argentina and you were trying to get back to your single life. Robin came back from her trip to Argentina and you kept sleeping around, kind of like I did." He wanted to stay clear of talking about his single life because his life now is so much better but he had to explain to Ted that he and Robin broke up and what happened after that point in his life. Ted, is more confused about why he and Robin broke up but thinks they got back together.

"Wait, you aren't single and womanizing anymore?" Ted asked lifting an eyebrow wondering how Barney decided to stop being single.

"No. I haven't been for years now." And, this changes Ted's expression from confused to a realization.

"You, womanizer Barney Stinson are no longer single?" Ted's even more confused but interested in finding out who got Barney Stinson to stop playing around and settle down.

"Yeah, well that's a long story. But, let me continue with what I was saying." Barney said, wanting to change this conversation back to what he was talking about before it changed.

"Anyway, in 2009 I had these feelings for Robin, I ask you if it would be okay if I told her said feelings, she found out before I even told her, after that, no okay before that you had gotten into an accident then I got into an accident causing our lives to change completely." Ted raises an eyebrow again, confused about this time and not remembering what accidents he and Barney were in.

"After you and Robin broke up, Robin and I, now it wasn't soon after you broke up but it was months after you broke up. We, slept together." Ted's expression changed from interested to mad in a second the moment Barney told him that he and Robin slept together.

"Wait, you slept with my wife?" Again, Ted's memory is also slipping back and forth from the years that are talked about and what Barney had just told him, which was about Ted and Robin's only breakup. Barney said they broke up but never got back together after that. But, Ted's mind is so weak that it doesn't fully grasp the reminder of Barney previously telling him that.

"Ted, you never got back together with Robin after you broke up in 2006. You, became friends. But, good friends more like sister/brother type bond that was purely platonic." Ted's face changed again back to sad but he still doesn't remember anything after this point.

"Okay, so you did breakup but you both moved on. You both found other things, things that made you both happy but it took sometime for that happiness to happen. About, a year after you _did_ breakup, Robin and I had kind of a bonding moment after she had gone through another heartbreaking experience with her ex boyfriend from when she was a teenager. He was a jerk, that was putting it lightly. He came for a visit, she started to see him again and then he dumped her again. We, Robin and I after I had cheered her up after her ex dumped her again, went back to her apartment to watch a video. If you remember, Robin was a teenage pop star in Canada named Robin Sparkles." Ted, nods his head remembering that Robin did have that secret when they were dating. He remembers fighting over it, but making up after it got revealed.

"So, Robin and I watched a video, another Robin Sparkles video. For, about a half hour then she kissed me unexpectedly."

"Wait, you and Robin kissed?" Ted, asks and once again his expression changes to mad again.

"We did more than just kiss." Barney, will never forget that night because it was the night that changed everything for them. Robin wouldn't change that night either, it's something they had talked about that summer they were sneaking around. Man, that summer was such a blast. Best summer ever.

Barney would have smiled and kind of gloated a bit over the fact that he and Robin slept together but because this isn't the time for gloating or to rub it in Ted's face even more. He decided not to go there and continued with his recapped story of his story with Robin.

"You-You slept with her?" Ted asked like it was a question because to him this is an eye opener. He wanted to straggle Barney for hitting on his wife. Again, Ted's mind slips back to Robin being his wife but she isn't so Barney realized something else.

"I did. But, it was a spur of the moment type thing. She kissed me and we just didn't want the kiss to stop. We slept together that night." Barney feels bad that he slept with Robin, all over again he feels terrible about that night but neither him or Robin would ever forget or regret that night because it brought them together in ways that neither of them knew would become from meeting each other and not wanting commitment and relationships.

"WHAT?!" Ted's temper grew and his anger got the better of him and things changed right from this moment.

The other three came running into the living room when they heard Ted shout 'what' yelling to see if everything's okay.

"Is everything alright in here?" Robin ask, seeing Ted looking really mad at Barney and Barney being frightened about Ted's anger.

"I'm going to kill you. You slept with my wife?" Robin, confused looked from Ted, to Barney, then back at Ted trying to make out what Ted just said.

"Okay, what happened?" Robin asks, confused trying to hold back Ted from killing Barney.

"We were talking about us watching your Sandcastles video and sleeping together. He still thinks you two are married, so he got upset over us sleeping together." Barney explained, standing near Marshall who looks like he was in pain seeing his friend acting like this is heartbreaking. He can't watch this but needs to stay here if things go even more wrong.

"Oh, okay." Robin, looked at Barney raising an eyebrow and looking mad. It wasn't Barney's fault that this outburst happened, he just stuck to the plan and this was the plan. To talk about the old days when Barney was single, part of those days were when he slept with Robin and fell in love with her and that's what Barney was trying to get Ted to remember but all Ted does is goes back to thinking he and Robin are married.

"Ted, sit down we need to all talk to you." The plan didn't end up working so now they are all going to stop talking in these patterns and talk to Ted normally to try to end this for good because they are all tired, emotional and ready for this to end.

Ted, sits down when Robin tells him to, the gang all sat around, with Marshall sitting in the red chair, Lily sitting on the loveseat couch next to the red chair, Barney sat next to Lily and Robin sits down next to Ted on the couch.

"You, slept with Barney. You cheated on me." Ted starts, still angry and looking for answers to why Robin and Barney slept together when he thinks he's married to her.

"I didn't cheat on you. We weren't together when Barney and I slept together. We aren't married, Ted." Robin tries to tell him trying to calm him down by putting her hand on his knee.

"What, how could you say that of course we are. I married you only a year ago." And, that's when they all had a moment of realization and now realizes that Ted thinks he's in 2007 and that he and Robin got married instead of breaking up.

"No, Ted we aren't. I'm married to Barney." And, that's when Ted's own expression changed to shocked and sad realizing that he and Robin aren't married and she is in fact married to Barney.

"What? How could you be married to him when we are married?" Ted, pointed at his hand with his wedding ring on it. Robin looks down at his hand and she puts the hand that was on his knee on his left hand smiling sadly at him, she then continues to try to snap Ted out of this thinking that they are married.

"Okay, Ted again we aren't married. This ring, it's your ring from your marriage to Tracy." The mention of Tracy turns Ted's expression again from shocked and sad to confused again.

"This, ring." Robin points out the ring on her left finger which she had put on when she was in the kitchen waiting to see if Barney can change Ted's memory.

She looks at Barney, smiles lightly then "Barney and I are married, we have been for 10 years." Robin tells him causing Ted to look from Robin, to Barney, to Marshall and Lily back to Robin. Realizing for the first time that he and Robin aren't married which once again changed his expression to sadness and awareness.

"But, how can you two be married when you never had a relationship." That's when Robin goes into the bigger stuff that they had been delaying for the sake of Ted's reaction and feelings. But, they now realize that Ted is really fragile and his mind is overlapping with too much information that's why he keeps going back to him and Robin being married when they aren't.

"We did have a relationship, it started because of my video, I showed him my Sandcastles In The Sand music video, which he was looking for that day, we went back to my apartment and watched it. Soon, we slept together, then Barney had feelings for me, I had feelings for him and then we did have a relationship. We were seeing each other in secret, for an entire summer in 2009, years after we broke up. We, dated for six month then broke up, we were devastated over the breakup so much so that a couple of years later we slept together. We had not stopped loving each other after we broke up, so a year after we slept together we got married. We fell in love and never stopped. Then, we got engaged and we did get married." She says smiling at Barney who smiled back knowing that she does love him and he loves her and they are happy together being a family.

"Wow, that's a lot of information to take in." Ted, confused and still trying to figure out what's exactly is going on right now. He still hasn't remembered anything of Tracy.

"Yeah, I know but we did go through some stuff, we got divorced but shortly after realized we gave up too quickly and it was all because of Tracy." That's when they start to change the story to talk about Tracy but a poor sad Ted is still not remembering anything of his life with Tracy, yet.


	7. Talking With Ted (The Gang) Part 2

So, I wanted to start finishing this story. I didn't know how long this would be but I have three more chapters to go until it's done. I wanted this story to show as much emotion and memories as the story is talking about. I want to show where the characters are and just how big of an impact Tracy had on their lives.

This takes place right after Ted's outburst, I wanted to show a little of Ted's reaction and memory of Tracy and a little bit of the B/R parts of the story. Now, this is a B/R story so I don't want to overshadow their story so I am starting to tell just how they came back together. I decided to use the next chapter, the whole next chapter to explain how Barney and Robin came to be, how they got back together and how their relationship is in 2030 and where they are after they broke up/divorced. I continued this right after that outburst and I think this is a good way to start telling the missing parts of the story which is the years after BR divorce and how they got back together and fixed their relationship with Tracy's help. I also want to do another chapter with Tracy, Tracy and Ted's relationship that we never got to see and I want to fill in the missing blank parts of the lives of the gang including M/L's and where they are now in their lives. Again, I wanted to go along with the awful finale theme and break up the gang for a while however the Barney and Robin relationship is the main bases of this story so I want to show more of their relationship together. I will also include their daughter in this in the last chapter for a whole gang reunion, although, yes they are reunited because of Ted but I wanted to show all of them in a more happier place in their lives and also fill in those missing pieces of the story.

* * *

It, takes Ted a while to have all the things that were just told to him sink into his mind. First, they tell him, well Robin tells him that she and him are not married. In fact, they aren't even together and apparently weren't even together in years and had only broken up once. Then, he was told that Robin is actually married to Barney and have been for 10 years. Then, he found out that there was a girl named Tracy who was apparently apart of their little group. Everything, that had been told to him got him all more confused and the friends looked at each other in that moment and then back at Ted and sees Ted's face change from confused to sad and it looks like he is about to cry.

"Ted, are you alright?' Robin asks, seeing that his expression changed and looks like he's about to cry makes her think that he's remembering something.

"I lost her." He says in a soft voice that cracked a but when he said the word 'her'. It just hit him that the memory of Tracy and what the group just told him. It all made him realize that he had a life with this woman, a woman named Tracy. The woman he had met and lost only in a short few number of years. It all made his mind go a bit overboard with the memories of Tracy and what he was told by the gang on this night.

"Yes. We all lost her. But, she was a big part of our lives and she was the biggest part of your life. She, changed our lives forever, Ted and she made all of us take a minute to realize what we wanted, especially me." Robin, tells him looking at Barney and smiling lightly as he smiles back she realized in that moment that Ted remembers which bring tears that she had been holding in out of her eyes in that moment of realization.

"I lost my wife and the mother of my kids." Ted, realizes for the first time tonight that his kids is his kids with Tracy not Robin and the life that he's living, in this house with his kids was his life with Tracy and that's when it hits him which for the first time in six years, caused him to have a breakdown.

They all sat watching Ted remember Tracy and what they shared together. Barney wasn't sitting too far from where Robin was sitting, so in that moment he needed to hold her hand. So, Barney is sitting to the right of her, but wanted to hold her left hand that had her wedding ring on it. So, he moved his hand to Robin's left hand and she reciprocates his embrace holding his hand tightly in hers, needing to feel his touch with hers. Both, are now in tears. They are now all crying, remembering special moments with Tracy and remembering the impact she had in their lives.

A few minutes went by but soon Ted started to pull himself together and wiped his wet face with his hand then a tissue that Lily handed to him when he started to breakdown in tears.

"So, you remember?" Marshall asked, wanting to know is Ted remembers anything more than the lose of Tracy or if he remembers everything that has happened in the last 10 year plus.

"I remember." Ted said, his voice is still the same in the light but saddened tone he had when he said he 'lost her'.

"We met at your wedding." Ted, says looking at Robin and Barney who are still holding hands. He looks down at the two holding hands realizing the most important reason why his friends are in his house and why they are talking about.

"Yeah." Robin says, smiling lightly realizing that Ted remembers everything which gets Marshall and Lily to nod as they also realize that Ted remembers, and it only had to take Barney to go off their initial plan a bit to do it.

"I remember, I had given up at that point and met her at your wedding when I was at my lowest point in my life. I told myself it was fate, meeting her but I lost her after being with her for ten years and having two kids. I wanted to live this happy life, and I thought I did but I lost her too soon." Ted, had just remembered his life with Tracy and how much she made his life better. She made him happy, and now he remembers everything that has happened in the last 10 years plus.

"She passed away from cancer, but I really loved her. She died too soon, she should still be here with me and with our children." Ted, says as he starts to cry again at the realization that Tracy is gone and she's never going to come back.

"Yeah, she was a very special person and meant a lot to all of us. She really made us all understand life a bit more and she helped me and Barney realize how stupid we were to have given up on our relationship." Robin, had been so grateful to Tracy for pointing her in the right direction and that direction was Barney. After two years apart, they were both in really bad places in their lives and it was Tracy who helped them realize what they gave up too soon.

"Wait, if you two are together that means you're together, together and never divorced. But, I remember you two announcing your divorce in this very house. How, are you together when you got divorced?" Ted, had just remembered that Barney and Robin had announced that they were divorcing in this very house they're in right now but he doesn't understand how they are together now after they did divorce.

"Yeah, we were divorced but we got back together two years after that point. We, realized we were miserable and we missed each other, so two years after we did divorce Tracy had witnessed how miserable we both were being apart and was the reason why we are together now." Robin, had a really horrible two years after they divorced it was one of the worst times in her life but she's so grateful to Tracy because she intervened and saw through both of their misery. With, the help of Tracy, Barney and Robin started to repair their relationship.

The first two years were a little rough for them, Robin still had her job and was still traveling, while Barney was mainly in New York trying to find a job after not taking the FBI job they offered to him after the case with Altracel and GNB was over. So, he was trying to find a job while working on a new book for divorcees and married couples. It is now called the Bros Guide To A happy Lifestyle not for the single gentleman. He also wrote a new Playbook but this one isn't about the plays it's about marriage, he had some book tours after the two books came out so Barney as well as Robin were both busy with their jobs. But, they were trying and trying hard to repair their broken relationship. It took them two and half years to really make their relationship work. They got back together in 2018, Robin had finally returned permanently in New York, taking a more permanent position at WWN. She had become the anchor, head anchor of the 6pm news and the stations boss. They promoted her to executive producer, shortly after returning to New York. She settled once again in her home state and Barney and Robin's relationship started to repair itself right away. However, they both had to get into a routine again both as individuals and as a couple again.

They, had struggled with normalcy for a little while but soon they restored their relationship, little by little thing just came into place again for them and it was like they never had those two and half years of misery. They are Barney and Robin, Robin and Barney, Barnman and Robin, R-Train and B-Nasty their relationship always somehow and someway always comes back together. It took Robin settling in New York again to help their relationship and because of Tracy's advice and pushing them to talk to each other again. They, finally repaired their broken relationship and their broken selves after being apart and miserable in those awful days.

"How, did you get back together?" Ted had calmed himself down after he burst into a full sob to ask how Barney and Robin got back together after they did get divorced.

"It's along story, but Tracy had a big part in us getting back together." Barney says, it's true it's a long story and Barney and Robin agreed to tell Ted the whole story but only if he wants to know it.

"Oh. What did Tracy do to get you two get back together?" Ted's now curious to know what it is that got Barney and Robin back together, Tracy must have noticed something he or anyone else didn't notice so Ted's interested to know how they got back together after divorcing and not really talking for a long while.

"You, really want to know?" Barney, follows up seeing that Ted is being curious and interested in the story of how they got back together. It's along story, but it's a good story.

Barney and Robin had told Marshall and Lily this story back when they found out that they were back together. It was shocking to find out that they had worked things out and made their relationship work and last, because everything they went through had been both good and a bad thing for their relationship. The reunion was bumpy at first but they started to restore and renew their relationship through being apart, they had both hectic schedules and Robin was still working overseas so it was a bit difficult for them to make the relationship work, but they did and when Robin made the decision to return to New York, that's when their relationship started to get repaired. They had gone through so much in the last two decades since knowing each other but they wouldn't regret the journey they took to finally be together in the way they always wanted.

"Yeah, I mean you two were pretty distant after your divorced. How did you, or how did Tracy get you two to work things out and get back together?" Now, Ted is back to normal and remembers Tracy and their relationship but the part he doesn't know or understand is how they, and at the time they were both so miserable, got back together. Tracy, must have noticed something he didn't and now he wants to know how they got back together after that tough period of time after they divorced.

"Okay, well..."

Barney and Robin both knew that Ted would ask this but they didn't think he would want to know everything about how they worked through the stuff they did to repair their relationship. Again, it was a bit bumpy at the beginning but after two years they did get remarried and then had their daughter but they want to try not to talk about that until it was necessary to bring it up.


	8. How Barney & Robin Got Back Together P1

Okay, at first this chapter was going to be completely different but I wanted to use Tracy as a part of this chapter because she's important to the B/R relationship. I wanted to show the Barney/Tracy friendship because I really think the two of them would become best friends along the way after meeting and then re-meeting at Barney and Robin's wedding. So, I wanted to bring her into this story a bit more so the next couple of chapter will include her.

I decided to expand this story a little bit more than I initially wanted to. So, it's not going to have the 10 chapters I had said I wanted this story to have. I think it's a good way to go for this story in the next chapters because she is the reason why B/R reunited and why they are all at Ted's house wanting to help him through the hard time he has gone through. In this chapter, I used the years that follow BR's breakup, 2016 because I wanted to show where BR's relationship was at before they decided to divorce. As I said I wanted this story to go with the timeline in the final episode of the series but fill in the blacks to what the gang was up to before Tracy became ill and then her passing away. I wanted to do something totally different with this chapter at first but I think this is good for this chapter. The timeline is from 2016 to 2030 but show the in between of those years, so don't be confused if you see the years in the next chapters it's just there to show you which year it is. 2016, it's the year of their divorce and the year when Barney and Robin's relationship started to crumble so I wanted to show just how they went from being happy on the day of their wedding to getting back together two years after they divorced and then I will show how they got back together and how they got remarried without anyone knowing or finding out for years.

P.S. Don't get discouraged with Barney's behavior in this chapter he's just going through a lot in the lead of to B/R's divorce fyi he doesn't mean what he says here.

* * *

2025

The day of Tracy's funeral was one of the worst days of the gangs lives. It had started out okay for Marshall, Lily, Barney and Robin. The day they lost their friend, the woman who had come into their lives when their lives all changed had become really close with all of Ted's friends. She had quickly became fast friends with Lily, who she had many things in common with and had the same sense of fashion and style. They had become the two members of the gang who cooked for the holidays or a special event in the gangs lives, just like Lily had done in the past for the gangs get-together's. Lily and Tracy had their specialties in what they make, like Lily was the best at making the main courses of food, like the turkey at Thanksgiving and Tracy's main food to make was always her 'sombitches' cookies and she would also make the worlds best lemon bars. Desert items were Tracy's best things to make and the gang all loved everything she baked.

Barney, had become quickly friends with Tracy wants they re-met at his wedding and reintroduced himself to her and he also thanked her for setting him straight about his true feelings for Robin which he tried to ignore for a very long time. Barney and Tracy's friendship had become kind of like a brother/sister relationship, they got along really well, they liked talking to each other and hanging out, Barney would go to Tracy for advice whenever he needed it, and it was most of the time he had known her that he went to her for advice and a lot of it had to do with Robin especially in the months before the divorce and the times after the divorce in which he had a couple of breakdown over what happened between him and Robin.

2016

" _Hey, Barney what are you doing here?"_

 _Barney knew that Ted wasn't home yet so he wanted to talk to someone about what had been going on between him and Robin in the last couple of weeks since she took that international correspondent job at WWN. Barney and Robin had been fighting for weeks because of whatever reason comes up to cause a fight. Either, Robin would forget about calling him or a special event that was coming up or she would come home late at night incredibly exhausted from the day and night she's had. And, the day they had their biggest fight was the day she left for Spain. Leaving without even telling him she was going to be in Barcelona for three weeks. When she came home, it was done. They got into a fight about not telling him that she was leaving for three weeks which made him so angry that once she stepped inside the apartment, the first thing she sees is a pissed off Barney standing in front of her looking mad._

" _What the hell, Robin?" He asked in loud and angry tone. Robin walks over to the coffee table and sets her purse down after she set her luggage by the front door after she entered the apartment. She sits down on the couch without saying a word to him._

" _Ugh!" She says annoyed and agitated both from the three weeks with no contact between them even though she knew Barney was mad at her. And, for Barney's attitude as she just came home from being away for three weeks, she didn't want to have this fight right now due to being really tired, of everything that's been going on between them since taking this job. Barney has not been the supportive husband she thought he would be since he was the one who told her she should take the job._

" _Barney, I can't do this right now I just got home from a long trip. Can we not do this right now?" She asks, not looking at him as he looks/stares at her from the distance he's standing at, which hasn't changed since she stepped foot inside the apartment._

" _No, Robin. We can not, you left without even telling me you were going to be taking a three week trip to Spain. And, when you did tell me you were already in your hotel there. You, know I thought by letting you take this job I would be happy for you, because I want you to succeed and have the career you always wanted. But, I'm beginning to regret ever allowing you to take this job." He didn't really mean what he just said or isn't happy and proud of her and her success. But, he really isn't happy and the way she's shutting him out of the decisions she makes, it makes him mad that she is acting this way, the way she always used to act when it came to relationships vs. job and for the last few weeks it seems like he's losing to her job and slowly starting to lose her._

" _I left because we weren't talking, we just had a fight. I didn't tell you because I knew you would freak out over this. What do you want from me? You said I should take this opportunity and supported me even though I had doubted even taking it because of you." And, that's when she finally looks at him for the first time since she sat down._

" _Look, I am proud of you and your success, really I am. But, I'm getting tired of coming in third in your life these days. I thought once we got married, we were on the same team here. I thought we could really make this marriage work and I was happy for you when you took this job but I'm beginning to regret allowing you to take this job." And, that's when she finally had enough of his whinny attitude._

" _ALLOWED ME? Are you kidding me, Barney." Robin stands up from the couch and starts to pace in between the couch and the coffee table. "How, dare you? How dare you talk to me like this. I had taken this job because I wanted to take it, I did ask you if you were okay with me taking this position knowing full well that it would take me to any place in the world for whatever number of weeks. And, you told me and I quote "I am proud of you, you should take the job because it's your dream to travel" I took that job and was happy to take it. What the hell happened between the time I took this job and now?" Robin yells, her voice is getting deeper and scratchier as she yells every word she uses._

" _I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say I allowed you. I never allowed you to do anything you didn't or would want to do. I just, I'm…" He bows his head and looks at the floor below his feet. By, this point Barney had moved from where he's standing and is now in front of his big screen TV and Robin had moved from behind the coffee table to near the kitchen counter close to near the entrance to the bedroom._

" _I'm sorry, I just miss you. I didn't mean anything I said I'm just mad that you seem to not care about what I want, about my needs, it's always your job that comes first before our relationship. I'm upset but I don't mean to say what I said." They don't really look at each other after this, for a few minutes they are completed silent until Barney says the next thing he says._

" _I think I need to go." And, without putting on a jacket, or his suit jacket he grabs his keys and wallet from the kitchen counter and leaves without another word, shutting the door behind him._

" _I need your advice."_

 _Tracy, steps aside and let's Barney inside the house. The house is still getting renovated and Tracy had just moved in after her and Ted got engaged and after they had Penny. So, the house was a little messy because of the renovations and baby things all over the living room and the main hallway._

 _Barney and Tracy go to the kitchen and they sit down. Barney is quiet for a minute then starts to talk again._

" _It's about Robin." He begins to tell her about all the problems they have been having in the last few weeks and by the end Tracy had given him the most honest advice._

" _But, are you happy for her?" She asks him, he just finished telling her what happened between him and Robin and she starts with asking him if she's happy with the job she has and finally if he's happy with supporting her._

" _I am, but I'm not. Not, really." He sounds a bit saddened but less annoyed and angry than he was earlier this evening._

" _But, Robin taking this job is what she wants and I should be happy for her." He almost looks like he's about to cry, Tracy being the supportive/good friend places a hand on his and smiles lightly at him._

" _Then, support her because I'm sure she needs your support right now." He nods and smiles but only lightly knowing that she's right and he needs to be the supportive husband he should be._

" _Okay, sorry to bother you I should go now." Barney says, after they hug as they remained sitting next to each other at the kitchen table._

" _Just, remember that you love her and apologize for the way you acted and she will forgive you and you guys will be fine." He nods his head again as she opens the front door._

" _I do. Thanks, Trace you were a big help." He smiles a bit more wider than a minute ago then hugs her once more and leaves._

2025

"Oh, my god. Barney. Robin." As, the funeral was coming to an end Barney and Robin after being discreet about their relationship had been caught in a intimate position.

They, break the embrace they had on each other and looked up to see their friends standing before them. Lily looked shocked but giddy as she smiles from ear to ear and Marshall looks weirded out due to what he just saw and a little bit shocked but surprisingly he looked happy.

"Calm, down Lily. Yes, we are back together but this isn't the time to discuss this. We are at a funeral and poor Ted looks miserable." Barney, points over to a sad and lost Ted on the other end of the cemetery near the parking lot.

"I can't believe it. I mean, you two were divorced what happened?" Lily asked after she calmed herself down.

"Yes, we were but." Robin, finally after not talking for a few minutes showed her friends her left hand, smiling lightly. Barney, follows suit and shows his own hand with his right on it.

"We, have been back together for seven years. But, it's a long story so can we talk about this later Ted needs us right now." Barney says. He's ready to finally have this long secret be revealed but this isn't the right time to talk about this when their friend just buried his wife.

"Fine, but don't think you two are going to dodge this discussion or I will..." And, with that, Lily points her finger at both of her friends before turning and walking away from Marshall.

"Wow, that was awkward." Barney, says once Lily and Marshall were out of ear shot turning to Robin who was trying to fix her shirt after putting it back on after getting caught by her friends.

"Yeah, it was." Robin, replied shaking her head then pulling down her skirt and fixing it to be in place again.

"But, as I said before. I'm glad we did get back together when we did because if I ever lost you again." Robin, had been pretty quiet for a while as they walk in silence back to their limousine holding hands and walking a bit close to each other but not too close after they collected their clothes and themselves.

"I know. You are never going to lose me again, okay?" She nods and he pulls her into him for a hug then they look at each other a smile lightly for the first time on this terrible day.

"I love you." She tells him, they are both holding each others waists as they stood by the limo.

Looking around to see if Ted's anywhere in sight, luckily he wasn't which was good for them because neither wanted Ted to find out that they were together again, especially after he lost Tracy.

"I love you, too always." They kiss one last time and then enter the car.

On this day, they all gathered back at Ted's house for a wake. This day was so dull and sad they all needed something to make them happy and for Lily and Marshall it was Barney and Robin being together that changed the demeanor of this glum sad day.

"But, how did you get back together?" Ted, asks.

Barney and Robin just told them the short version of the story but Ted wants to know the bigger story, classic Smosby.

"Well..." Barney and Robin start to tell the whole story of how they got back together.


	9. Intervention Part 1

Flashback: In the next couple of chapters I wanted to show how, in detail how Barney and Robin reunited and got back together. As previously said, Tracy is the one who helped B/R get back together but it was a reunion that actually brought them back to each other. So, I wanted to give more detail on how they came to be and how they got to where they are in 2030. I want to point out that they figured out their relationship on their own and the struggles both when they were apart and after they reunited and got back together. But, they worked out in the end and were better as a couple when they were secretly together and making the relationship work.

So, for these two chapters I will show how they got back together and after this I will go into more detail on their lives together in the years after 2018. So after chapter 10 the story will change slightly but I will keep it in a flashback mode in those years since the main year in this is 2030 which is the present year in the lives of these people. I also wanted to show how their daughter came to be and those years as well so 2025 to 2030 but I won't go too much into the pregnancy because it's not necessary in this story.

Sorry, for the long wait for this chapter I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do with it and what time to write it but I hope you like the next chapters because it's going to be good. Also, spoilers Ted finds out about their daughter soon.

* * *

2018

It's funny about fate, sometimes when you're feeling like life has thrown you curve balls you find yourself either hitting them straight out of the ball park or you strike out. For Barney and Robin, it seemed like they hit them right out of the ballpark, because the spark that seemed to flare out was still there only two years after they decided to divorce. But, when life has gotten you down and things become more complicated and messy, sometimes you have to make tough decisions. In the case of Barney and Robin, it was loneliness, fear and the thought of losing each other that caused their untimely demise of their marriage.

It has only been two years since they split, and in those two years neither of them really moved on. Robin, found herself throwing herself into her work more, even more so than before they divorced. And, Barney had to find a way to distract himself from missing her. So, he did what he usually did, he started to sleep around again (without any plays and playbook) but bedding those woman made him even more miserable than he already was. Sleeping around again, trying to go back to the person he was before he decided to take the biggest leap of his life and get married. It made him realize that sleeping around made him feel empty, right before making the decision to ask Robin to marry him he realize just how empty, unfulfilled and unhappy he really was. He realized that he needed Robin in his life and not as just a friend. He needed to be with her, no matter how hard it was to find a way to get her back for good. He had to try, one last time to get her to see that he's 100% serious about them being together. So, he took that opportunity to write the final, last play in the playbook: The Robin, to win her back to make her see that he's done with his single life and ready for more, ready for that huge commitment that he was so afraid of letting himself want in his life.

But, if it wasn't for Tracy telling him that he was in love and in someway failed in his relationship with Robin. If it wasn't for meeting Tracy and having her come into his life and becoming friends. He wouldn't have had the courage to even try to get Robin back at all. No, he probably wouldn't have even asked her to marry him, but if Tracy didn't set him in the right direction he probably wouldn't have the life he ended up having.

It wasn't like he set out to run into her today, or this past year or even this past week. No, he didn't think he would even see her, since they split they hadn't seen each other in a year and a half. But, since Robin had taken sometime off for Tracy's 34th birthday party neither of the probably wouldn't have seen each other again. But, because they both RSVP-ed to the party they wound up arriving at the party at the same time. Actually, they had met before this at the train station for their trip to White Plains. In fact, they had bumped into each other on the line to get a ticket for the train.

She looked around just to see how busy Grand Central was, the line was a bit long and there was a 30 minute wait for the next train. She didn't think that he would be here or that he would really go to the party. But, because he's Tracy's friend he decided to go to the party because he had come to be friends with Tracy, the aftermath of the divorce really made them become more closer than before the divorce. It was nice for Barney to have an outsider of the initial gang as his friend and confidant. If it wasn't for her friendship, and seeing how unhappy and miserable he has been since the divorce. He doesn't think he would have been able to find a way to try to move on with his life. And, for the most part he did try to move on from Robin, but it wasn't easy trying to find ways of trying to forget about her and the big part she played in his life.

Tracy, is the reason he's here now and waiting on line to get a ticket for the ride up to the Mosby house. Neither, him or Robin thought that this moment would be the biggest moment of the following years to come for them. They didn't think they would end up where they ended up in the following years. But, because they ran into each other after two years being apart. Their lives had changed and it was all because of Tracy's birthday party and a little bit of an intervention and the part of Tracy to get them to where they ended up being in 2030.

To say she was shocked to see him would be the understatement of the last two years of her life. She never thought that once they went their separate ways that they would see each other again after all this time.

"Hi, Robin it's nice to see you again." He hadn't seen her since that final fateful day in Argentina because when she came back home and moved out of the apartment he wanted to make sure he wasn't there to see her move out of his life. It was too painful if he was there to see her leave his apartment and his life again after he tried so hard to get her to see that he wanted to be with her.

"It's nice to see you too, Barney." She says with a light smile on her lips.

To say that this moment would end up being awkward would be the understatement of the last decade of their lives. It was still painful to even look each other in the eye, let alone be as close as they are right in this moment.

"So, I'm guessing you're here to get a ticket to go to Tracy's party, huh?" Barney says a few minutes later after being in an awkward silence since saying hi to each other.

"Yep. Ted's invited me so I had sometime off so I decided to go to the party. I haven't seen everybody since..." He gets it, as painful as it is to even think or mention their divorce it hurt even more when he saw the sad look in her eyes, as she was about to cry or something.

"Yeah, I saw Ted and Tracy last week actually they needed a babysitter so they came into the city and I babysat for them at my apartment." Barney, hasn't really that close with their friends since they all pretty much went their separate ways and live totally different lives.

Marshall and Lily had decided to go back to Italy because they loved it so much when they were there the last time. Ted and Tracy are in White Plains and well, Robin was traveling everywhere around the world. So, it was just him in the city trying to get his life back to a normal routine. He's still not in his normal routine, his single days of womanizing and being single were over. He was officially done with that part of his life once he married Robin, so there was no sleeping around anymore even though he thought it was a good way to get over losing Robin. It wasn't. But, he tried and that's what counts.

Robin, wasn't doing good either… But, seeing Barney again brought back the reason why she hasn't moved on from the biggest mistake she's ever made. Admitting it to herself wasn't an option for her so she distracted herself with work and finding any kind of way to try to move on. Dating wasn't even on her mind in the last two years, so work was the only thing that made her feel slightly happy while still being unhappy and alone and feeling like her life had went from being the most happy she's ever been in her life to being alone and feeling as if she lost out on life when she thought she won at life when Barney proposed. It really hasn't been a happy two years for her and she is the only one to blame for her unhappiness that she so easily let slip away from her grasp.

"Oh, that's nice." The line was moving now and it was Robin's turn to get her ticket.

Barney then got his ticket and surprisingly Robin was waiting for her just a few feet away from the ticket window. He thought for a minute that she would have ran away, it's what she always does but surprisingly she didn't which made him smile a little to himself as he turned from the ticket window to see her standing there.

"Would you like to sit with me on the train?" He asks, it's the first thing he asked her once he got his ticket and put it away in his wallet then pocket of his pants.

"I would like that." She replies smiling, a little more brighter than before when she first saw him.

They walk towards the train tunnel where the train would be in silence. They really didn't know what else to say because usually they can talk to each other so easily but because it's been two years apart, it's hard to figure out what to say without seemingly mad or blaming things on the other that they didn't want to do. So, they walked in an awkward silence to the train and then onto the train where they find a seat for two and sit down together still in an awkward silence.

"Listen, I know this is a little awkward."

"A little awkward would be an understatement."

They both laugh at that at the same time, and the funny thing is. It's like they haven't been apart for two years. After that they started talking, really talking about everything and by the time they arrived at the White Plains station they were laughing and joking with each other. It was just like old time. When they are together, and the weird tension subsides. They go right back to the people they always have been when they are around each other.

That's how they ended up at the same place at the same time. They took a cab together and arrived five minutes before the party started.

Standing, laughing and smiling in front of the Mosby home was actually kind of nice. It was just nice to not be so awkward and weird with each other.

They ring the doorbell and Tracy opens to see them looking at each other and smiling. Her hand was on his shoulder and his arms was surprisingly around her waist and she didn't feel as if this closeness was weird. It's Barney, even if things have been weird and the tension has been strong there is something that she would never not admit to knowing. That is, that Barney, when he's near her as close as he is in this moment it feels really great to be as close to him after all this time and all the awkward tension between them. It's nice to not be weird around each other anymore.

"Well, I didn't think I would see the day when you two are smiling and happy with each other." Tracy says as she stands with the door open looking at her two friends laughing and enjoying each others company since it's been weird since the last time they were in this house together.

"We, ran into each other before on the ticket line. So, we came up here together on the same train." Robin explains, then Tracy moves aside to let them enter the house then closes the door behind them

The party was just about to start, it was now 6pm and the party starts at that time so it was good that Barney and Robin came to the party together. Because if they hadn't ran into each other, and if Tracy didn't see what they were so blind to see for themselves. Then, they wouldn't have the wonderful life together, with their beautiful daughter. They would still be in a lot of pain and still not happy with the way their lives went. All the regret started to remind them again that they were wrong about the way they left things on that horrible day in Argentina.

"Hey, guys it's nice of you to come. Didn't think you would show up." Ted said, the moment he saw them together, looking quite happy he was happy for them that it wasn't so weird and awkward anymore.

"Well, yeah of course we would. I wouldn't have missed Tracy's birthday." Robin teases with a smile rubbing Ted's arm briefly before turning to Barney.

"You want a drink I could use one?" She asked him and he nods his head and says sure.

"The usual?" She adds on, even though she knew what he wanted to drink she asked anyway to make sure it's what he wants.

"Is there anything else I would want to drink?" Barney says, she laughs and says no then walks away to the kitchen to find Lily helping Tracy with some food preps.

"Hey, you guys how are you?" Robin announced as she came into the kitchen with a smile.

"Okay, what is going on between you and Barney?" Is the first thing that Lily says to her, after not seeing each other for two years and barely communicating at all the first thing that her best friend says to her is what is going on between her and her ex husband.

"Really? Lily. I mean I just got here and I haven't seen you in two years. You are really going to start our reunion with 'what's going on between me and Barney?'" The says rolling her eyes at the notion that there's anything going on between them.

"Sorry. But, Tracy told me that you two came together and bumped into each other at Grand Central. She said you two looked pretty chummy with each other. Is it bad to ask my best friend if there is still something going on between her and her ex husband?" Robin again rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"I guess not. There's nothing going on between us. We just saw each other in the train station after being apart for two years. Yes, it was weird seeing him again after all this time. But, there is nothing going on between us, we are just trying to be normal with each other after all the weird awkward tension between us. We, are good now though. We talked the whole ride her and it was nice..." Robin smiles and blushes lightly to herself. It was nice just to act normal and like their selves again after being apart. It was like they never had been divorced or apart from each other.

"Aw, Robin. You might want to deny it but there will always be something between you two. You still love him and I can see it in your eyes, in the way your eyes light up when you talked about your ride here. And, you are blushing. Robin, you do still love him." It, started with Lily and because she hadn't known her for that long. Tracy saw something during this conversation with Lily in the way Robin talks about running into Barney, talking on the train here and the way she blushes and laughs and then look away from Lily.

It's really telling. Now, Tracy hasn't known Robin and Barney for that long but in the years since knowing them she saw how happy and in love they were with each other, at the wedding and after. She knows love when she sees it, it's real obvious that Robin still loves Barney but isn't really admitting it. She's in denial again and needs the push to make her realize what she gave up… Her happiness.

Tracy's only know Robin for six years and in those six years she's come to understand her a little bit more which others don't see or understand. After all, she's a woman who had gone through a lose of someone who had taken years to finally move on from that horrible time in her life. Frankly, she isn't completely over it or will be but she told herself to either move on or live in this sad state of mind, so she moved on and found Ted and she couldn't be anymore happier than she is right now.

That's when she thought of a secret plan. Tracy had found out from Ted that the gang does these interventions for each other when they need someone to intervene and talk some sense into them. She decides to give Barney and Robin an old intervention without anyone else knowing about it. Because, as she watches this conversation between Robin and Lily she sees that Robin is living in that state of denial mind that causes her to deny and run from what she wants. And, what she wants is Barney.

She know how hard Barney took the divorce and it wasn't until a few minutes earlier that she saw him happy again. Barney still loves her too, obviously she's known that since the first time they met and it's obvious that this woman, is the only thing to make him happy again. Robin, makes him happy and Tracy knows he still loves her and from that first meeting, she knows that it's Robin that he will never stop loving.

So, Tracy comes up with a plan to get them to talk and realize how stupid they were for giving up their happiness because they are both obviously still not over each other and she knows they won't be, because they need each other in a way that nobody including themselves realize.

Luckily, the party went off without a hitch and everyone had fun. Robin, took this time off for the party and would go off to London the following week so Tracy has to act fast and get them in the same place or room sooner rather than later because Robin would be leaving again and she doesn't want for Barney and Robin to let this important meeting slip by them again.

The next day, after Ted went to work and the kids went to her mothers house for the day. Tracy finally calls Robin, she asks her if she wants to meet up for some coffee or something that afternoon. Robin is free and agrees to meet her in the city for lunch. She then calls up Barney and asks him out to lunch, Barney was also free because he first had no plans for the day and second had no job to go to, he has yet to find a job in his field since the whole FBI gig didn't pan out for him the year after he and Robin split.

"Hey, Trace it's nice that you asked for me to meet you I had a nice time at your party yester..." Robin pauses her sentence to see Barney sitting down to the right of her as she hugged Tracy.

"Um, what's going on?" She follows up after noticing that Barney is here too.

"This is an intervention. Minus the banner. Robin, you and Barney clearly are still in love with each other and you both are living in this denial land of yours. It isn't healthy, you two need to talk and tell each other how you truly feel before it's too late or you will regret it for the rest of your lives." That's when Tracy says her goodbyes and leaves without another word.

" _So, that's how you got back together?" Ted asks, thinking it was nice of Tracy to intervene in their relationship._


	10. Intervention Part 2

Continuing from where this left off, I wanted to show much more of B/R's relationship and their reunion. It's an important part of this story and it shows how they got to where they are in the present day. This is very present and very flashback-y so the last part of this is present. I didn't want to confuse my readers with what is present and what is flashback. But, enjoy this chapter shows just where Ted's head is at and I wanted to explain why he is thinking what he's thinking but that will be in the next chapter. There is only two more chapters to go with this then this story ends. I might make a sequel to this with B/R's life and the following years after 2030 and the inbetween years from when they get remarried to when their daughter was born.

Until then, I'm glad people seem to like this story so enjoy this chapter. Also, this chapter has some canon things in it but it's mostly non canon.

* * *

" _Not exactly." Robin said in a low tone of voice._

"So, I'm guessing this is not a get together with just Tracy, then." Barney says, with a sigh shaking his head.

"I guess not." Robin, had thought this was just a nice get together lunch with Tracy whom she hadn't seen for a year so it was nice to have her ask her to lunch. But, it's obviously not a lunch between two friends rather a lunch-get together with her ex husband.

"I'm, I guess I'll go." She states, wanting to leave and not be here cause it's once again awkward to be standing in front of her ex husband and not saying much to him.

She starts to turn to leave but Barney calls out. "Robin, just wait a minute." Barney turns to look at her as she was about half way to the door.

"Tracy's right, she is only being a good friend who clearly sees that we are once again running away from each other." And, that got her to move from her spot near the exit of the restaurant and then walk back towards where Barney is now standing.

"I guess you're right." She says, now getting more closer to where Barney is still standing.

"So, please let's just talk. Please?" He tries to extend a hand out to her to take to make her see how serious he's being right now but what she does is instead she moves past him and sits down at the table.

" _That's a good start, sounds like you did talk things over." Ted said, he really likes where this story is going so far._

" _Yeah, but that wasn't the start of us being together, though." Robin, tells him and the gang looking saddened as she continued with the story._

"Listen, this might sound a little unlike me but I really have missed you and I was hoping that maybe we could, I don't know sit, talk and maybe start up our friendship again." Barney suggested. He didn't want to push anything, he knows how quick Robin is when she feels ambushed and wants to leave. She always finds someway to back out of a weird situation but he also knows that she will listen to him when she knows that he's serious. So, Robin sighs and then says.

"Okay, let's just talk we have not seen each other for a long time and to be honest I have missed you too." She tells him with a smile, he smiles back equally seeming satisfied with her response to his request.

" _So, we talked. But we didn't really discuss any kind of feelings at that time. We just talked, after not seeing or speaking to each other for along time we just talked and had a nice meal together. I didn't want to start anything with a relationship because I was going to go off on another assignment two days after that day. So, we left things unfinished with us but did end that awkward meeting by suggesting we should try being friends again and to keep in touch. I did go off to London that following Tuesday but surprisingly, and this was such a shock to me but he..." Robin's smiles was more brighter and bigger as her tone in her voice changed to a higher pitched squeal at the memory of that time and it was the best thing that ever happened to both of them._

He knew she might not be there but he wanted to come and surprise her. He wasn't planning on going to visit her but he was alone, bored and his mind started to wander a bit thinking about her and wondering what she's doing and how she's doing. He realized that he really does miss her and the happiest he's been in such a long time was when he saw her again after being apart for two years. So, he packed one suitcase, thinking it would be enough since he wasn't going to stay in London for too longer. He just wanted to go see her, surprise her unexpectedly because he misses her.

Sure, she texted him once she was settled in in London but that wasn't enough. He wanted to hear her voice, he called her but she didn't pick up so he decided to pack a bag, book a flight and went off to surprise her which he hasn't done since they were married, when things seemed to be going well between them, the relationship had their bumps but they were happy at one point during their marriage.

He stood outside her door, she had an apartment which WWN had paid all expenses for. Robin, had really come so far from where she was when they first met each other. And, he is so proud of her and her success even if he wasn't happy in those last weeks of their marriage he was still supportive and happy that she succeeded her dream.

He sighed and took in a deep breath then let it out and knocked lightly at first hoping she heard the knock. Luckily, she did and opened the door after a second of waiting.

"Barney?" Surprised, she was talking on her phone to someone as she opened the door to a very happy looking Barney and after that she had totally forgotten about the person she was talking to on the phone.

"Surprise." He said in a more louder tone after he said hi to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, she still had the smile on her face as she did at first when she opened the door.

"I was bored, I wanted to come see you and so I tried to call you to ask you if it'll be alright to come see you but you didn't pick up. I just, I wanted to see you so I booked a flight knowing where you would be staying. I hope you don't mind me coming to see you." He hoped that she wasn't upset over this sudden surprise visit but from the way she looked at him with this huge smile and bright shiny eyes that says it all.

The next thing he knew was that she was kissing him.

" _Aw, that's so sweet. Barney the romantic." Lily said, she had a little tear in her eyes wanting to escape thinking that Barney, the old Barney that she knew is shockingly a very romantic guy and she is eating up this story which she already knew about since she's known that Barney and Robin were back together for a few years now._

"Wait, what's that for?" After kissing for about three minutes Barney broke the kiss in shock that she unexpectedly kissed him unnoticed and unwanted but he has missed kissing her so he didn't mind the kiss. It had gotten a bit heated until he stopped it and broke from her lips.

"I realized that it's not just this surprise that makes me fall more and more in love with you. It's the fact that I can't stop thinking about you, about us, about our lunch the other day. It's everything, it's you. You're the reason I couldn't move on from the divorce. It's you who I can't get over or move on from, and the fact that you came to surprise me makes me feel the same way as I did in those two months before we got engaged. Barney… I know I haven't been very open with my emotions or feelings for you, and in the last couple of month before we divorced but I did and still do love you. I was just trying too hard to ignore how very much in love I am with you. Tracy was right. I do still want to be with you, I do still love you and the fact is… I've been really miserable without you and living in denial is not a good thing to do. Seeing you in Grand Central, was sure a little weird but it made all the memories I tried too hard to forget was still there when we ran into each other." This confession was a little shocking to him but the fact that she's now being this open, this honest and is revealing her feelings like this to him made him feel like he never should've left her. Divorcing the love of his life was the worst decision he's ever made and the best decision was marrying her.

"I love you too. So much, I've lived in the same delusion as you and it made me miserable. We never should've divorced, we should have discuss things more maybe gone to counseling or something but divorcing you was the last thing I wanted. I've never stopped loving you, Robin and now that I know how you really feel. Can we just, I don't know not be friends because that isn't working and hasn't worked in a very long time." She laughs at that but it's true they are far from the friendship zone, so far that it's pretty laughable at this time in their relationship.

"It's pretty dumb of me to ask you to just be your friend because I can't be friends with someone I love more than my career." And, that comment made him a little sad considering they ended their marriage because of it.

"I never wanted to divorce you, I was so proud of you and your career, your success was my joy and I never thought of it as anything but a great thing for you because you've always wanted the success you have now." At this point, they are sitting still dressed which is odd for them since it's well _them_ they can't stay dress for long once they get going the way they did a little while ago.

"No, I took us for granted and I lost it. You are the only thing that was great in my life. You are what I've always wanted but tried ignoring it for along time and then I took what I knew all that time and let it slip out of my hands letting it fall to the ground before it was too late, but it was too late and then we ended our marriage because I took you for granted and wanting more than just a relationship. I'm so sorry, Barney I never meant to put so much pressure on you so much so that I pushed you away before it was too late I lost the last thing I've ever wanted… You." They are both tearing up a bit at this moment realizing how real and honest they have been since they ended their marriage. It was really good for them to realize and understand the issues they had then and to find their way back to each other before things became much more denied between them.

"I never meant to blame you for the problems I had back then. At the time I was going through some stuff and I took it out on you and your success when I didn't mean to do that when I am so proud and happy that you got to finally have the career you've always wanted. I should have tried much harder in our marriage, and I regret doing so before things got to be too much to bare we made the worst decision ever. I should have been more supportive and do things better but I regret that now and realize how stupid I was being, ok more of a jerk I was being towards you and your career when I should have handled that better." Sadly, he knew that the marriage was coming to an end and that final spat in the hotel was the last straw but he still blames himself for ruining the best thing that's ever happened to him.

"Let's just not say one of us are to blame for our marriage crumbling. Let's just agree that we are both to blame because we were both in the marriage it wasn't a marriage of one person it was the both of us and we both royally screwed up." Their heads were close together, his hand was in the back of her resting on the bed, her hand was resting on his leg, they were both in tears but tried to wipe them away and control them. It was a very emotional truthful moment and both realize how completely ridiculous they were for the way they handled that last fight and the divorce.

"Yeah, we did. I'm sorry, for everything. It would have been better if we handled it better. It's typical of our nature to do what we did and let it all slip away before it's too late to keep holding it." They had controlled their emotions and now are looking at each other for the first time since they sat down to talk about everything they needed to.

"I'm sorry too, I was being my usual self and being selfish towards you and your career. I love you, I hope you know that I love that you have all this success now. I just wish I had dealt with things better then, than I did but I loved you then and I loved how successful you were. I'm still so proud of you and how you've succeeded with your career it's always what you wanted and I've always been your number one fan. Since you confessed something I will confess that I have not missed one of your segments after we split I record them whenever I know when you're doing a broadcast or segment. I have recorded every single one of you past reports too, from Metro New 1 to World Wide News." Shocked, in all the years she had known him she never knew that he recorded the news reports she had done. It was his secret and nobody knew about it until this very moment.

"You really recorded all of my reports? Even the ones that are embarrassing?"

"The more embarrassing ones are my favorites."

She shakes her head and laughs but it's really sweet that he recorded her news reports all this time. She didn't think he was that proud of her but now she realizes that he has always watched her on the news doing even the worst segments and reports of her career. She can't believe it but it's truly really sweet of him to do that.

"I love you." She says out of no where, she realized in this moment why she truly couldn't move on from him.

"I love you too." He smiles again and they were staring now at each other then she leans in again to kiss him.

" _Aw, that's so sweet see I knew you two would get it together again. You really are meant for each other, I was right." Lily says patting herself on the back for being the one to bring these two knuckle heads together in the first place and knowing that it was the right thing to do for the both of them because if it wasn't for Lily and Tracy these two idiots would be living in denial for the rest of their lives._

" _Yeah, well after that time we started our relationship over as a restart. I was still traveling and he was still in New York. We were trying again, which was good and bad at other times but mostly good. It took sometime to really be together even though we were back together and happy. We were apart for another year until we decided to get married again." Robin, retells this story for Lily and Marshall but tells Ted the whole story since it's him who wanted to know the full story on how they came to be, back together and married now._

" _So, you did get married again?" Ted needed to be confirmed again because this is too much for him to take in in such a short time of knowing the story of how they reconciled their relationship to get to where they are today._

" _Yes, we got married again right before you and Tracy got married actually it was in June of that year a month after our original wedding date and month of May. We also have a daughter, who is five years old she was born a year after Tracy's death." Barney explains, it wasn't the easiest time in their lives before they had Bri but she was a big reason why their relationship changed a lot and now it's better than ever. This is truly the happiest they've ever been._

" _Wait, you have a five year old daughter. I thought you had a daughter with some random?" Ted has really told the worlds weirdest story to his children when he was in that bad state of mind he was in. He thinks Barney had a daughter, yes he knew that but not with Robin and his daughter's name was Ellie and she was much older than five at this time._

" _Ted, what kind of stories did you tell your kids about me? I've never had any child with a random I didn't have any children until we, me and Robin had our daughter." Ted gives an odd look, trying to figure out why he was telling the story so very wrong about Barney's life._

" _And, I went to Robin's apartment to ask her out. How are you two married with a daughter when Robin was living at another place?" Ted's back to being confused and doesn't understand what he's just been told._

" _Ted, Robin was living at that place because before we got back together years ago when we did she had that apartment but she doesn't live there anymore. How do you know about her old apartment and why are you thinking she lives there?" Barney's confused himself, Ted seemed to be back to normal again a few minutes ago but it's obvious to him that Ted is still in that unhealthy mind set of thinking of the past and his past life._

" _What? I can't believe this I thought you two divorced, Barney had a daughter but with some random one night stand and Robin went off traveling for her work and you two haven't seen each other for a while after that._

" _No, we saw each other again at Tracy's 34th birthday party but before that ran into each other while getting a ticket for the train ride up to your house, this house. It wasn't that long that we were apart, we saw each other again, Tracy did that lunch intervention then I surprised her in London. That's the story, the real story. That apartment, Robin hasn't lived there in years it was our new apartment that you showed up at." Barney doesn't know what Ted is thinking and thinks maybe he's still not understanding what he and Robin has been telling him._

" _Wow, how did I end up at your new place then?" Ted asked, wondering how he ended up at Barney and Robin's new apartment while thinking he was at Robin's apartment which Barney didn't live in._

" _You did want to ask me out, but I turned you down and you left. You didn't notice my hand with my wedding ring on it because you didn't look at my hand and so you thought I was single. But, I'm not and haven't been in along time. I've been married and living with Barney for years now since we did get remarried." Robin explained, hoping that Ted understands that she hasn't lived in that apartment she rented after she left the Fortress after she and Barney divorced. She doesn't get why he doesn't understand that she doesn't have her single life anymore._

" _But, you had your dogs. It was the same place you lived in when we first met." And, now everyone gets what Ted is thinking._


	11. You Can't Go Back To The Past

This is the longest chapter I've done with this, I wanted to put everything that was needed in this chapter into it and I think it's a good chapter. This shows just what Ted is thinking and what's been in his head for all this time since Tracy's death. This chapter has some canon things in it, I just love the BR relationship so much I think they're just so perfect for each other and this chapter shows just that.

This is also almost the end of this story, I will end this in the next chapter and I have a great way to end it. I enjoyed writing this it was much different from the other stories I've done and I love how this turned out because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this or how long I wanted it to go for a while. But, I think this is the right way to go and end it. Enjoy the last couple of chapters.

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"Ted, can you give me and Barney a minute while we talk in private?" Robin asked, in a nice soft tone of voice she knew exactly why Ted was thinking that she was living in that apartment, the apartment she lived in when she and Barney first divorced.

In the months that followed their finalization of their divorce papers, which took another few months to be official. Robin, continued her assignment in Argentina, while Barney packed up his stuff and went back to New York. Robin, buried herself in her work to try to forget about Barney, the divorce that wasn't yet finalized and her relationship crumbling into pieces before her very eyes. Before, she or they could save it from beyond repair. So, she continued to work, and work, and work until she finished up that assignment. After that, she had returned to New York and to the apartment, a very quiet, dark, and a little bit creepy apartment she ended up loving to live in in the last couple of years. It has became a home to her. A place where she could finally be in peace in her living space for once. Yes, for once in her life since she's been in New York, she finally had a place to call home. Not that she hasn't loved living in the other places she's lived in before she got engaged because her first apartment, the apartment above the bar and the apartment she lived in before she and Barney got engaged. Because, she did.

She, did love all those places but neither of those places felt like a home to her. It always felt like, her first apartment felt like a new beginning when she first moved to the city, the apartment above the bar was always Ted's apartment or Ted and Marshall's apartment to her, she just lived there because she had nowhere else to live at the time, she thinks now though that she probably shouldn't have stayed there longer than a few month, instead she stayed/lived there for five years. And, the apartment she rented when she started to become a bigger personality at WWN, although that place felt like a home to her but she didn't live there for long. Then, Barney proposed and she moved into his place. Sure it was a bit weird living in that bachelor pad, but surprisingly when she and Barney dated before it had already felt like a second home to her. She even had her stuff at the apartment and Barney had no problems with it, shockingly the more their relationship evolved and they became committed to each other the more she felt like the apartment was more of a home.

And, once they became engaged and she moved in with him, It did feel like the first real home she's had since being in New York. After, the divorce was finalized it wasn't a good time in her life, she did bury herself into her work more after that but she did it because at any moment she was sure she would have a breakdown. So, she thought about work, work, work, and ignored anything that had to do with her friends or her life in New York. She went from country to country, city to city, town to town, all over the world in the short span of two years trying to forget about the worst heartbreak in her life. Losing, Barney had started to make her lose herself a bit. She found herself not only burying herself in her work she buried herself in alcohol, and a lot of it in the months right after the divorce was finalized. That was the worst time in her life, the minute those divorce papers were finalized and her lawyer called to tell her. That's when she had the first breakdown of many after five month of trying to not to think about the divorce, those damn papers, that finalized call, or Barney and their failed relationship.

She had drunkenly dialed Barney's number a few times in her drunken state of mind whenever she went too far and got wasted with the memories of _him._ The memories of their failed relationship once again it felt like the months and weeks after she and Barney broke up the first time all over again. The memories of his touch, his kisses, his sweet words of support (at first) for her career success, the ways he would send her little love notes and things while she was away from New York and they were apart, the ways he would suddenly show up unannounced to surprise her at one of her locations she was stationed in (those stopped right before that final straw in the hotel), the sound of his voice whenever they got to talk before one of them went to sleep, she just missed everything. And, once those divorce papers came every single emotion she tried to hold in came bursting out like a broken hydrant. She was a basic mess for months after that. And, once they ran into each other again for the first time since that last interaction in the hotel in Argentina. All, those memories came flowing back and as much as she tried to move on and forget about him, that moment in the train station ticket line made her remember all over again why she never truly moved on or forgot about Barney in those two years after they divorced.

Of course, Robin and Barney talked about those heartbreaking days after he left her in Argentina. When, they decided to try to give their relationship another try, both of them confessed that they were miserable in those two years and Barney told her that he had received those drunken phone calls, they had a saddened laugh over that and poured themselves a reunion/back together scotch and after that day when Barney surprised her in London, their relationship sure had it's problems but survived everything that they went through when they decided to get back together.

So, when Robin finally realized what is going on with Ted she needed to talk to Barney in private because she knew exactly what's going on and she's sure that he knows what's happening as well. It's been twelve years since they got back together and ten years since remarrying and five years since they had their daughter. It was a struggle but they finally found their way back to each other and it didn't take them too long to get back together. They had their problems, especially right after they reunited in 2018 and then again right before Brailyn was conceived. But, since then things have been going great between them and their little family.

"We, will be right back." Robin continues as she takes Barney's hand and brings him to the kitchen.

At, this time it's now 1 am in the morning and they still haven't gotten anywhere with Ted but Robin thinks she knows what's going on with him and has an idea of how to get him out of the past. They're thinking, it has to do with memories and Robin thinks she knows a way to end this once and for all.

"I know, I knew that he was thinking that he's living in 2005 when he first met you. He wants the good memories of the past before he met Tracy to come back because he wants to forget about her." Barney, said once they were in the kitchen.

He knew that Ted was in this mind set to forget about Tracy, to forget that she ever existed because he's still not over her death. Robin, knew that Barney was right all along, he was the one to tell her this the day he showed up at their new apartment with the blue french horn telling her how much he had been thinking about her and is still in love with her. Robin, had to be nice and turn him down without getting too worked up or emotional over this. But, she did turn him down and sent him back home to the kids. That's when she had the idea to kind of help Ted out at his house, she helped out with the kids, she cooked (or tried to), she cleaned, took the kids anywhere they needed to go, she hung out with Ted and pretended to be married to him which is why he thinks they're married and it's 2006.

He, thinks they never broke up and she never truly moved on from Ted and that's why he thinks they're together and his kids with Tracy are her kids too. The only kid she has is her daughter and that even took a while to have with all the struggles she had conceiving the old normal way. So, that's why she wants to talk to Barney alone.

"You were right, he thinks we're married because he did see the ring when I first started helping out here." She says, showing him her wedding ring. With a slight/light smile on his face when she showed him the symbol of their true love reunion. It's still amazing to him how far they have come and how happy they truly are together.

"He wants to forget all about Tracy because he's still not over her death." Robin, continued sadly. Her and Barney both miss Tracy, if it wasn't for her they wouldn't have been together right now. And, both would still be heartbroken over losing each other. And, that's why Ted is acting the way he is, he misses Tracy but is trying to find ways to forget she ever existed and they now know what to do to help their friend and to have this meeting come to an end.

"We, did the exact same thing when we were apart. Trying to forget, and trying to find ways to forget. All that did for us was pour bottles of scotch and other varieties of alcohol down our throats to keep the pain away. I still remember your heartbreaking phone messages, trying to ignore them and you, and putting our boxes of stuff from our relationship back into the storage unit. We both weren't over that loss and Ted isn't over losing Tracy." They looked at each other and the memories of those heartbreaking days come back to them, it really wasn't the happiest days and years of their days without each other.

"Yeah, me too. Those days were not my happiest or best days of my life, losing you was one of my worst nightmares. True story." They smile at each other through teary eyed smiles and realize just how they can help Ted get his present life back.

When, they got back together she told him that losing him was always her biggest fear because losing him meant losing the only thing to make her happy, and happiness was always scary to her, she was always afraid to be happy and Barney's her true happiness and the thought of losing him meant that she loses her happiness. Then, she did and completely destroyed her world and her life was not completed anymore. He confessed that losing her was this worst mistake, they had made love after that. After their reunion in London, after they talked about everything they kept inside for those two years.

"Mine too. I have a way to help Ted find his way back to the present day." And, then they start to discuss and plan the rest of this meeting because they really are tired and want to go home to their daughter.

"Okay, guys we're back." Robin announced, sitting back where she was sitting before and Barney sat next to her on the chair he was sitting on before.

"Ted, I know this is incredibly hard for you. I've been through the exact same thing as you, and I was in the same place as your head is at now. I know the feeling of loss, I know how it is when the one person you love most in this world leaves you. But, it's okay to try and forget them, try to move on but _you can't go back to the past_ I tried that but it got me nowhere and made me more miserable after that loss." When, Robin said the line 'can't go back to the past' a memory flashed over his eyes to the time when he had broken up with Zoey and thought he should get back together with her. He was feeling the loss of the relationship then and that got him to act the way he did in trying to get her back. Ted, remembers Robin saying this to him and Barney was also there agreeing with what she said. You can't go back to the past because it's familiar – because, it's a mistake, the memory of that came back to him and it hit him with a whole new memory.

A memory of Tracy and the events (Barney's and Robin's wedding weekend) before that wedding and the loss and new journey he was about to take.

"I remember. I remember I was just trying to forget." In that moment, Barney and Robin look at each other and smile through blurry vision, Barney takes her hand in his and rubs his thumb over her wedding band and she looks down at his hand intertwined with hers then back up at him smiling a little more brighter than she was before, then she looks back at Ted.

Marshall and Lily also look at each other for a minute then their attention is back on Ted.

Ted, finally remembers but he was trying to forget and along with trying to forget Tracy and the memories of his life with her he became confused and started to be in denial about his life, his friends lives and Tracy. Most, importantly, Tracy and their life together with their two now teenaged children.

"We, know Ted and I understand. When, I thought I lost Barney even though it's not the same thing as Tracy since she's gone, but never forgotten. I thought I lost him forever, I started to try to forget and buried myself in my work to forget that heartbreak. I get it, but you can't stay in that denial because it does slowly eats you up and everything you try to forget does come back because it never leaves. " Robin, knew that in a way Ted has been trying to forget all about Tracy but trying to not upset him because he was deeply depressed and still in mourning over losing Tracy she just didn't think he was that far gone until this meeting today.

"I know." Ted says, now crying over the realization that he really does miss Tracy and he's still not over her death even if it's six years after her death it's still, it seems like it was only yesterday that he lost her. "I just miss her, more and more every day but you're right I can't keep being in denial, I thought thinking of the past and maybe starting over to find a way to be happy again but I realize now that I was only trying to forget about Tracy and ever meeting her. I, I haven't been happy, since her death I haven't been myself but thanks to you guys intervening in my depression. I'm glad you did because I would have never learned my lesson, the lesson I even told my kids even. I can't go back to the past and that's what I was doing this whole time. So, thank you Robin I'm glad you were there for me but I think I can now move on now but not forget Tracy ever again, I will never forget her she really was the love of my life." And, now everyone's crying and the moment gets way overly emotional, it takes sometime to calm down and stop the emotions.

"We, have never forgotten Tracy. We never will, if it wasn't for her Robin and I wouldn't be together now. So, we will always be thankful because she helped us get back together both times we were both unhappy and still had feelings that were unresolved between us. She helped us get back together when I met her in the pharmacy, telling me I should stop playing around and go to Robin. That's when I wrote the play to get her back, she also saw how miserable we both were when we divorced and then when we ran into each other at Grand Central, she saw how happy we were and at ease with each other after being apart for two years. So, we have Tracy to thank for reuniting us both times and for that we will always, always remember her for that." Barney and Robin look at each other again when Barney says this remembering their reunions, god they were both idiots, idiots who gave up way too easily, way too soon and who love each other more than anything in the world. Meeting, Tracy was the best thing that ever happened to their relationship and they will forever be thankful that they met her.

She really was Ted's perfect girl, she was his soulmate just like Robin and Barney are soulmates and true love. That's something nobody should forget no matter how painful it is. Both of them understand how that is, because it was truly the hardest time in their lives when they were still in love but still devastated over losing each other again.

"I should get the kids, I know they were worried about me I could tell they were saddened by the way I was acting." Ted, finally controlled his emotions and stood up from the couch to go talk to his kids because he feels bad about putting them through his emotional down fall.

"Okay, I know they were worried too. They were the ones who suggested we do this intervention. They were really worried and scared that they lose their father too." Robin says, it wasn't only Robin and Barney's idea to do this meeting it was also his kids who were concerned so they wanted this meeting even more then Robin and Barney too wanted, so when Ted came by with the french horn Barney and Robin had enough and decided to put a stop to this whole thing for once and for all.

"Oh, I'm still confused about something." Ted, says as he remembers that he was confused about how Barney and Robin ended up with a kid that isn't just Barney's kid after he knows that Robin couldn't have children.

"What's that, Ted?" Robin, was curious to know what Ted wants to know now that his memories are back and he realizes what's going on around him.

"You said you and Barney have a daughter, I thought that daughter was Barney's, Barney's daughter only so how did you become a mother when you couldn't have kids." And, now Robin thinks, he remembers everything which is a good thing but it might just be annoying her now.

"Yes, I couldn't. But, I had tried in vitro fertilization and some other tests to try to get pregnant. I wasn't supposed to get pregnant, ever but with how things in technology and health have changed over the years I had extensive tests done before I found out that I was pregnant. We were trying to have a baby for four years before I was pregnant, but nothing worked. We kept trying, everything we could to find ways to have a baby, but nothing worked for a while. We, even thought about surrogacy and considered adoption but we both wanted to have a biological children, you know part me and part Barney because I really wanted a child that's biological, we almost gave up at one time but then the day after Tracy's funeral I found out that I was pregnant. I was pregnant for a week and a half before finding out that I was pregnant that following Monday at my weekly checkups, I kind of got pregnant because of Tracy, we had gotten drunk the day she passed away, one thing led to another and then I was pregnant." Wow, Ted thought, he wasn't expecting that but that was quite a lot of information to take in.

"So, you got pregnant because of Tracy?" He asked, again he was a bit weirded out about this but finds it kind of nice that Robin got pregnant after being told she never could.

"Yeah, kind of. Tracy's death had a lot to do with us conceiving, but we were trying before that and it was a lot of struggle, and the pregnancy itself was difficult. It was delicate, I was never supposed to get pregnant but we really did want to have a child, a child that is half of me and half of Barney. If we stopped trying then that was it, I was never going to have a baby." And, now she's tearing up and Barney sees how emotional she is and knows how much struggle they went through to conceive, it almost ruined their relationship but when she did get pregnant they started to take a step back and not go down the road to another heartbreaking breakup again.

"So, we kept trying and found out on that Monday after Tracy's funeral. We kept the pregnancy a secret, even on that day of the funeral, Marshall and Lily only found out about us being together and we didn't know she was pregnant. But, then she was and we didn't want to tell anyone due to the circumstances with the pregnancy, it was really tough on her so we kept it a secret. Marshall and Lily didn't find out until a year after our daughter was born." Barney, knew Robin was very emotional about this and telling it again was too much so he decided to finish the little story on how they had their daughter.

"Wow, that's a lot of detail to think about. I'm shocked that you two are back together but even more so now that I know that you had a child." Shocked, Ted doesn't know how to take this news but he's going to have to be supportive of this news because it is great news that Robin had a child it's just a little bit much to take in after all the other things that were going on tonight.

"I get that, it is a lot to take in." Robin, says. She knows that there was a part of Ted that always wanted to have kids with her but she also knows that just being together with Barney is hard to take even though he is over Robin and had been for along time now.

"So, I guess we'll get going it's almost 2 in the morning." Barney announced, ready to go home because this night was exhausting and he wants to go hold his daughter even though she would be asleep at this time.

"Yeah. One more thing before you leave. Can I meet your daughter? I know I'm a little weird about this but I would love to get to know my friends child." Ted said, wanting to know the child of Barney and Robin because the story that was told was actually quite sweet and he wants to see if this is real, that their daughter is actually real and their daughter not just Barney's.

"Sure, we'll set something up. Maybe next weekend." Robin says, even if it's hard for Ted to understand she does want her daughter to meet her uncle Ted because Brailyn doesn't know him and she wants him to know her daughter.

"Okay." Ted, smiles lightly at Robin then goes upstairs to talk to his children.

The gang all leaves after this and goes their separate ways.


	12. Moving Forward Part 1

Final A/N: Hey, I want to thank those who have been reading this story. This is the final chapter, I had to make this into two parts because it was really long and I wanted to put everything I needed to put into this final chapter. So, this is the end thanks for reading, I appreciate that this story got so much attention.

* * *

After, the gang had that intervention for Ted they all went back to their normal routines and lives. It took a long while for Ted to come out of that depression bubble he was in since Tracy's death. Ted, was still not back to his normal life just yet, but he's getting there and his kids think it's good that the gang had done that intervention meeting for their dad because it seemed as though they were losing him along with their mother and the memory of the short few years the kids remember. But, slowly Ted tried to live a normal life, his routines were usually consisting of work, the kids and staying home most days. He wasn't as cooped up in his house as he was when in that depression state of his but he's getting out and doing things as he did before he lost Tracy and all hope of a happy future with her.

Marshall and Lily, spent their time at their jobs and with their children. It has been seven years since moving to New Jersey, Marshall was thinking of putting his hat in the election and running for county judge, and Lily's career after they were done having kids had been going quite well, the whole Italy trip did nothing to really further her career in the art world but after she had her last child and stopped having kids, she had put her career first for the first time in years and it was a good thing for her career because she now owns her own art company and gallery in New Jersey. She had become a big success in the art field and her paintings have been selling quite well. In the years since they all lived in the city, in that apartment above the bar, their favorite hangout Lily's artistic skills had improved immensely and it only had to take her to go back to art school to really start showing that she really had great potential as an artist. With, three kids and their careers having bigger success in their older ages, they had finally found their new home and lives in New Jersey. Even, though at one time Lily wouldn't have been caught dead in that state. But, they both had grown to love living where they live now.

As, for Barney and Robin. Well, they decided to try for another baby. Yes, after years of being those anti-kid people, they had such a great time being parents to their daughter that the decision to try for another baby was an easy decision. Although, Robin couldn't carry a baby again and make it full term so they decided to try a surrogate because they didn't want to adopt because they wanted another biological child. So, in the weeks after Ted's intervention Barney and Robin went back to their usual routines, the routines before all the ciaos with Ted came on so that had their lives put on hold for a bit. While, Robin was living and helping Ted, Barney took on being a single parent without Robin by his side to help out when parenting duties gets a bit complicated. So, he had to take on that responsibility for the four years since Ted's mental breakdown.

Barney, and Robin went back to work and being parents to their daughter. Robin, had decided to take a break from her job to spend sometime with her daughter which she missed out on while being away from her and Barney too for such a long time. So, she took time off for the next six months spending time with both their daughter and Barney but more time with Bri. She had missed her a lot while being away from her and felt like she was abandoning her own child, a child she had once told herself that she would never have or get to have. But, being a mom is much more important than anything else and now she regrets the time she spent away from her while tending to the needs of Ted and his family's issues. But, the family of three finally spent more time together than apart and Robin's leave from work was a good thing for her and their growing family. With, a kid, another kid on the way and two dogs their little family was going to be completed.

But, before all this happened there was one thing Barney and Robin wanted to do. Get the gang together for a group get-together, they really didn't have any get togethers as they used to and since Tracy's death and Ted's mental health the gang wasn't together as much as they wanted to be. Since, Barney and Robin's first wedding, the gang had been apart from each others lives for a while but they all did miss being together like the old days. Barney and Robin also wanted for Ted to meet their daughter, he never met her and didn't even know about her until he was told that she existed so they promised Ted a meeting. So, they all decided in the week since the intervention meeting to get together and celebrate one last time Tracy's life and the new lives of the gang. The Saturday after the intervention, they all gathered at the cemetery to gather together at Tracy's grave sight to pay their respects to the friend and wife they all miss so much and had loved and made their friend in the amount of time they spent together and knowing her. Knowing, Tracy was the best thing that ever happened to the gang and Tracy's even though she's gone and not with them anymore she is still a big part of their lives and each one of them will remember her forever and the impact she had on their lives. For...

Barney and Robin: Their story was never finished, it was barely done after they made that bad decision to end their marriage. The love they had was still there on both sides and it showed anytime they were together, despite a horrible divorce and a few miserable years, they still with no doubts loved each other and that love never wavered. If it wasn't for Tracy, they probably would have lived in this awkward denial for god knows how long, meeting Tracy changed their lives forever and they will forever be so grateful to have known her. Tracy's importance in their lives will always be with them because they would have never realized their happiness on their own if Barney never met her and had that memorable talk on the bus bench. And, Robin would have ran away from her wedding successfully, maybe she felt like it was the cowards way out of how scared she was to lose him someday. But, she would have left her wedding and Barney, probably regretting it later. If it wasn't for Tracy and her run in with her, she would have made a mistake and if the divorce was anything important within this story, it's important to Robin's relationship with Barney and her regrets she has made or might have made when it comes to Barney and their crazy wild but amazing journey to each other.

Marshall and Lily: Lily, wouldn't have made another female friend or share her clothing, or shoe size, or taste in music and art, or the fact that she would end up being not only her best friend but also married to Ted, her other best friend. And, for Marshall he wouldn't have realized that maybe hoping for something that would never be was finally something good. Hoping, that someday Ted would meet that girl, or someday would end up alone or with Robin (which never happened again or would happen ever, again at any time). Because, Tracy was and will always be his best friends true soulmate and love but now he realizes that maybe losing a bet was a good thing for his best friend's true happiness.

And, Ted: Well, if it wasn't for Barney and Robin's finding each other, finding love with each other and falling in love and getting married he would probably not have met Tracy at all. Or, maybe he might have but with the short amount of years they were together, he probably wouldn't have met her. Meeting, Tracy at a time when he was most sad with where his life was going was the best thing to ever happen to him. He really thought he lucked out when he met Tracy, he still thinks he did and she was the only best thing to ever happen to him. Meeting her and having two beautiful children changed his life forever, and he will never forget her ever again even at times when he wants to forget, all the pain of losing her. But, his life was never the same and he knows now that he can't go back to the past just because he's alone, sad, depressed, and mourning deeply over losing the best thing that ever happened to him.

"So, yeah Ted. We are on for Saturday to all meet up. We can go to the cemetery, pay our respects to Tracy and spend the day together as a family. You can also meet Brailyn, she's already excited to meet you I hope you are as well." Robin, had been talking to Ted on the phone for twenty minutes, telling him the plans to get everyone together for the first time in a decade.

"Okay, I am excited but a little nervous I never expected to find out that you were a mom and that you are back together with Barney. But, I'm looking forward to it. She seems so lovely, with all the things you have told me so far about her." Ted, was a bit still in shock by Robin having a kid but he was happy for her and for Barney because she is truly happy and truly does love Barney more than he thought or wanted to think she did. He, thinks meeting their daughter will be a good thing for him and his current mental status. He has been slowly becoming Ted again, after being depressed and out of the whelm of reality for along time. But, he's coming to terms with every change that comes his way.

"Well, don't be. Bri's a sweetheart, she's a bit shy at first when she meets people she doesn't know but once she gets comfortable with you and you're comfortable with her, then she will be very open and playful, she has her father's personality." True story, their daughter has her looks but her father's personality, that's an interesting fact.

"Barney's, personality?, well good luck with her when she's a bit older." Robin, laughs little, good to have Ted back to his normal self. She's happy that the real, true friend Ted Mosby is back to normal and she's ready to finally move on with her life as a mom and wife, a mom to her real biological daughter and a wife to BARNEY, her one and only true soulmate and love. The only man she's ever had this strong connection with that seemed to always no matter what happens in their lives, brings them back together. Their soulmate connection was still there after the divorce and it will never go away, like Ted's memories of Tracy, although he never forgot about her, he just wanted to forget the fact that she's truly done and would never return again no matter how much he wanted her to.

"So, we'll see you Saturday you can bring the kids I'm sure they would like to formally meet Bri as well." They were almost ready to end the conversation after 30 minutes of talking about their normal lives and routines since Ted didn't know what her real life entailed.

"Yeah, see you then. I'm glad we're doing this I really can't wait to meet your daughter." Ted, says smiling, the thought of Robin as a mother actually made him start believing in something for once in a very long time.

"Okay, bye. And, Ted I'm so glad you're back we all did miss you." They, hang up after this and for the first time in a long time their thoughts aren't in the past but in the very near future. A, future that's brighter with more changes and chances to take on.

"Saturday, is now officially on." Robin, announces as she enters the living room where Barney's sitting on the couch playing some magic hand trick thing with their daughter.

"Awesome, I can't wait. And, I think Bri's going to love her uncle Ted and Ted will no doubt love her." Barney, tells her hopeful for this get together and the future of their family and their friendships.

"I think so too, I know Bri will likely warm up to him right away." Robin, hoped that Bri will like Ted even if she's a bit shy at first she hopes this meeting will go smoothly.

"I'm sure, he will Bri's a great kid she likes almost anyone she meets even if she doesn't show it at first. And, Ted will like her as well I think they will get along once they get to know each other." Barney's right, Ted will like Bri, everyone who meets Bri or knows Bri loves her to bits she's a lot like both her parents which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing.

"Am, I right sweetie? You're going to love your uncle Ted and he will love you too. You're going to be a good girl for me and mommy right?" Barney, asks his five year daughter hoping she will like Ted and knowing that both her and Ted will like each other after a little time getting to know each other better.

Since, the intervention Barney and Robin had slowly started to talk about their friend Ted and how he had been going through some stuff, explaining to their five year old (who is quite smart for her age) was actually more easier than they thought it would be when telling their five year old about their friend, or in this case Bri's uncle Ted. Surprisingly, the little girl didn't have much of a reaction to this new person in her life just from her parents explaining him to her, but with all the talk of her uncle Ted she's starting to like getting to know him with the little bit she's gotten to know and understand of him already.

"I like uncle Ted." The little girl says excitedly bouncing on the couch up and down excited to finally meet this uncle Ted her parents talked too much about in the last week.

"See, she's ready to meet him I'm sure they will be good friends once they get to meet and know each other in person instead of just talk describing both Bri and Ted to them. Don't, worry so much they will like each other I don't have a doubt about it. Everyone loves Bri, once they get to know her and it doesn't take long for them to love her either." Barney, says reassuring Robin that everything will go smoothly with this meeting and it will be good especially for Ted's mental health, even if he's much better than he had been in six years.

So, that's exactly what happened that following Saturday when the gang all met up for the first time in a long, long time at Tracy's grave. Surrounding, the grave they all were quiet looking down at the grave and all the flowers and balloons they all came to bring to the grave. They, all stood in silence saying a little prayer and crying over their friend's, mother's and wife's grave for a few minutes. Then, the silence was broken for all of Tracy's loved ones to say a little something about their and what she meant to them.


	13. Moving Forward Part 2

Barney and Robin were the first to talk, like they did at her funeral years earlier. They had been clinging arms together, beside each other when they were all quiet but now they have broke their hold on each other for Barney to start off this part of this small but intimate among the gang's tribute to the friend they all love and miss.

" _Tracy, I want to thank you for your help and guidance because when we first met I wasn't in a happy place in my life. In fact, that time I was deeply depressed and hurting over Robin and the year I just had back then." Robin, looks at her husband and gives him a saddened but sorry look but he didn't notice because his eyes were on Tracy's grave. "If, it wasn't for your pushing me in the right direction to my realization that maybe Robin and I might have had one last chance to truly be together. Your, guidance and sincere concern was the best thing to ever happen to me." His, eyes start to get more blurry as he says this next part. "Because, Robin and I are together. We might have had our ups and our very low downs but we never stopped loving each other and with your help you saw something between us that we didn't. So, thank you for your guidance, support, concern, love and most of all your friendship. I'm saddened today because you never got a chance to meet our five year old daughter and that makes me a bit mad but also a lot sad because you would have adored her and she would have loved you. You, were that motherly appearance in our lives and if it wasn't for you seeing what me or Robin didn't then she would have never been born." Barney, finishes with, "I miss you, Trace thanks for the guidance it will always be missing in my life now that you're gone." And, the tears just kept coming for him and the rest of them after this moment._

" _Tracy, I pretty much agree with everything Barney has said. Firstly, we do all miss you and I miss having another girlfriend in my life. Your advice and guidance really helped my life, if it wasn't for you then Barney and I wouldn't have gotten another chance to be together. I realized that Barney was always my saving grace in my life, he was my anchor but when we divorced I found myself feeling lost without my anchor or your advice. But, when you saw that we were obviously happiest while being together, I realized that my life was always the most happy when I was with Barney. You, didn't know this, we had kept this from everyone for a long time but Barney and I got married again a few months before you and Ted married. And, after a few years together and working on our relationship we had our daughter, and she is the best thing to ever happen to me and to us. Thanks, for helping me and guiding me towards my happiness again, the happiness I have always known." Robin, pauses to clear her throat and wipe her teary eyes and wet face to finish with. "Thanks, for being my friend I miss you a lot."_

" _Trace, I want to thank you for your friendship. I know we hadn't known each other for long after we met but I really had a great time hanging out with you and being a mom along side you. You, also gave me advice on lively things as well, whether it was on my kids or cooking or work, you had given the best advice even when we all didn't think we needed advice. You, were not only a great mom but also a great friend and I will always be grateful to have known such an incredible person, even though with the little time we had known each other before we actually met, because it seemed as though we have been friends for years already before then. I miss you, Trace wish you were still with us." Lily, stops to calm her emotions and then it's Marshall's turn to speak._

" _Hey, Tracy. Even, though we didn't really know each other well enough in the few short years when you were with us. But, as everyone else I too miss your guidance and support, you were really a wonderful friend and presence in our lives and most importantly you made Ted very happy. For, a long time he was not happy, he missed you and was deeply depressed but now he's back to being the guy you loved and married. He misses you a lot, probably most out of all of us because you really did change his life and it was the best thing that ever happened to him. Thanks, for being a friend, a caring shoulder to vent on or cry on and this beaming presence in each of our lives." He, pauses and finishes with, "thanks, again Tracy wish you were still with us." Marshall, ends his speech and by this time everyone including the kids were crying, it was that emotional but also beautiful._

 _Hi, Trace. It's me, I don't know how to start this speech off but first I want to say that I miss you. I miss you so much, I have been so lost without you for all these years, it only took a recent event for me to snap out of this horribly sad depression because I missed you a lot. I don't think I have really had this all sink in, the fact that you're no longer here, with me and the kids. They really miss you too, we think about you every day, even when I was trying so hard to try to forget about knowing you." Ted's voice, started to crack a little as he tried to get through this speech. It was just as tough to express his feelings on Tracy as it was when he had to do her eulogy, but he tried to not get to overly emotional as he continues with what he was saying. "I miss you, I love you and most of all I have never forgotten you even if I tried to forget you are always there and I am always going to love you. I wish we had more time together, I wish we were able to grow old together, I wish you could see our daughter get married someday, I wish you were here to make me laugh in the mornings with your singing breakfast foods, I wish the kids got to know you better, they only had a few years to know how great a mom you were and how much they adored you, I wish that I can get back those missing years both before we met and after we lost you, we met too late and had too little of time together. But, I realize now that those times we shared, even though they were very short for my liking, I will forever cherish those times and those wonderful memories." He stops to clear his throat and to get in control of his emotions._

" _I wish you could see our children growing up so fast that I don't even know if I want them to grow up anymore than they have already. I love you, always will and I will never forget meeting you or loving you. Wish you were here, we really all do miss and love you." He finishes, taking off his wedding ring, he had never taken it off and even thought it was a ring connected to Robin but it was and never would be because he has officially moved on from the past and is ready to move on to his new future. Whichever, way that would go._

The, gang all finished paying their respect and then shared a moment together in a circle hug. They all said a silent prayer then broke apart, after this they all gathered back at Ted's house for kind of a wake party, with how somber and sad they were at the cemetery it was good to be together and share in a laugh and make this day a happier one.

Barney and Robin, had stayed back at the cemetery for a bit taking in Tracy's grave sight and the new fresh flowers, balloons, hand written notes to her and Ted's wedding ring which is placed on top of her grave plaque. It was all so real and still new to them that Tracy even though it's been six years since she's been gone, the fresh items all around her grave seems fresh enough for a more recent death and not six years. It's just so real, present and current that it's even more emotional six years later than when Tracy just passed away. The couple just needed a bit more time alone after the others left to go back to Ted's house.

The official meeting between Ted and Brailyn hadn't been met yet because of the emotions over this day and the memories of the gang missing Tracy. So, they waited to officially have Ted and their daughter meet more properly, but first they did need sometime alone together.

"This, day was just like six years ago all over again. It was like it happened yesterday, I can't believe it's been six years." Robin says, her and Barney are in front of the grave sight staring down at it while she talks through some recent current tears.

"I know, it was just that horrible. I wish, she could have met Bri, she would have adored her and I wish she knew about our reunion and our second marriage. She has missed so much not just in our lives but her own kids lives and Ted's. She," Barney's voice gets shaky and emotional as he says this. "Should be here, to see it all." He says, Robin clings to his arm as her tears get more stronger. It really is just like yesterday that she's been gone, she has missed so much.

It took another few minutes for them to control their emotions but after sometime alone and taking in this sad scene in front of them, they finally gave her one last goodbye then they leave to join the others at Ted's house.

They arrive back at Ted's house 30 minutes later because they were still sitting in their car at the cemetery letting this whole event and day sink into their minds, it was that emotionally exhausting of a day. It really is exactly like the day of Tracy's funeral all over again.

"So, Ted. We would like to formally introduce you to our daughter. Ted Mosby, meet Brailyn Elisabeth Stinson or Ellie Stinson for short. Ellie, this is your uncle Ted." Barney, had made the official meeting or in this moment greeting of his daughter and his best friend (yes, he means best friend) Ted. It was a very emotional day for everyone, maybe this moment and meeting is a good way to change the mood.

"Well, hello there Ellie (Can I call her Ellie?)" Ted, asks Barney who nods and says "Yeah, everyone who really knows Bri calls her Ellie instead, we (meaning, Robin and myself) call her Ell most of the time. It's fine if you want to call her Ellie too." Barney, smiles at his daughter who was beside him, looking shyly on at her father and new found uncle talking.

"He-hello." Bri, shyly extends her hand to shake her new found uncle's hand. Smiling, lightly and nervously, look up at her father then at Ted.

"It's really nice to officially meet you, Ellie. "Ted, smiles for the first time this day at the daughter of his two best friends, realizing for the first time that Ellie really does look like Robin, a little too much in fact, she has her hair, her lips, her chin, her nose, but Barney's high forehead and eye shape. The blue in her eyes is the exact color of Robin's it's like looking at a mini Robin.

"Wow, she really does look like Robin. It's really uncanny." Ted, says not really shocked at all that Robin's daughter looks just like her, but also has a little bit of Barney in her face. For the first time since finding out that Barney and Robin have a child together, Ted finally realizes that she is real and she is really Barney and Robin's biological daughter and not just Barney's daughter.

"Yeah, she really lucked out on the looks. I'm so glad she looks like Robin and not like me." Barney, admits, having Bri looking like Robin was something he had always imagined if he had a daughter because he had always pictured himself being together, as a family with a daughter who looks just like her mom, Robin.

"Oh, why's that?" Ted, asks curious about why Barney said what he just said and he said it out loud for him and Robin too to hear.

"Because, I had always pictured, imagined that if Robin and I had been given another chance to be together that we would have a daughter that looks just like her. Robin, pictured it too. She, even pictured a son, our son who looked like me and suited up like me. We, we both wanted this life, the whole picture together, and after sometime we finally did get our relationship right, and got to have the family with the daughter we both imagined having who looks just like Robin." He pauses, looking over at Robin who was sitting in the living room talking to Lily. She, was beside Barney when he and Ted started talking but moved over to the couch then started to talk to Lily.

For, another first time in a long, long time Ted finally admits to himself that Robin was always meant to be for Barney. It was the first time since knowing Barney, that he finally admits that he's actually good for Robin and really does make her happy in a way nobody else including himself did or could.

The two friends, share a smile then Ted unexpectedly hugs Barney in a friendly bro-like manor then they go over to where Robin and Lily are currently sitting a chatting together.

"I would have never thought I'd see the day when you, and Barney are actually parents. But, this little girl clearly loves you both, I'm really happy that you two found each other again after your divorce." Another, sadness comes on around the living room as Barney and Robin share in a saddened but meaningful and loving look, thinking to themselves once again how meeting Tracy really did change their once miserable, lonely, lives and it really was the best thing to ever happen to both of them.

"Well, she clearly likes you already. You, two will quickly find the right balance as uncle and niece soon enough. After, this day we had it's nice to see you smile again for once in a really long time." Robin, paused her conversation with Lily when the guys came over to them. Barney, sits beside Robin taking her hand in his after giving her a quick kiss then continues to say what she was saying.

"It is, thanks for bringing her here and helping me get out of the funk I was under. I really did miss Tracy, I still do but I'm starting to move forward and on with my life because that's what Tracy would have wanted for me." Ted, is finally ready to move on, he isn't quite ready for any other relationship but he is moving on with his kids and his job because that is best for now after being so depressed for six years.

"We all miss her, we're glad you're out of that funk Ted we missed you just as much as we have Tracy." Robin, says putting one hand on top of Ted's as she smiled happy to see Ted finally admitting that he needs to move on but never forget having had Tracy in his life.

This day had been really depressing and sad but after six years of denial, depression, sadness and a life that could have been. Things, look better in the lives of each of the friends that Tracy made and the impact she made on the five friends. So, after six years after Tracy's death the gang, everyone's lives was happier because of Tracy being part of their lives. Barney and Robin, finally got their lives together as well as their relationship, getting remarried and having their daughter was the best thing to ever happen to them. After, this meeting-get together-wake Barney and Robin made the decision to have another baby, they had a son who they named Robert Tracy Stinson. Barney and Robin had finally moved out of the city to Westchester, close to Ted but not in White Plains. They, bought a house after they had that intervention for Ted and they never looked back.

As, for Ted he officially moved on with his life with his children. After two years, he did meet a new woman, he had been dating her for a couple of months but not in a serious way. They, were taking it slow but they really liked each other, Vivian had met Ted's kids and Ted met Vivian's son. Penny, would be getting ready for college in the next year and Luke would be a Junior in High School. But, Ted nor his kids ever forgot Tracy and will forever remember how important and special she was to them all.


End file.
